Editors Welcome Hello all and Happy Yorkshire Day! We want to welcome you to this Special Edition of Forge Zine. It’s been quite a ride creating this Night of Arts but we’ve loved every minute of it (well almost every minute!). We want to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported us in this adventure from each of you reading this and enjoying the evening, to those who allowed us to talk their ear off about it in the early days and to the local businesses who allowed us to advertise this night in their shop windows. Not only do we have some exciting acts to introduce to you in this programme edition but we also have a sprinkling of poetry to share with you which has been inspired by the beautiful Yorkshire landscape. One of our frequent writers, Errol G. Harsley (you may remember his Vintage Edibles from our previous edition), will also be educating you on the history of Yorkshire Day! Thank you for your attendance and support and we hope you enjoy our Yorkshire Day event. If you wish to stay in touch with Forge Zine and/or Hallmark Theatre leave your email address in our mailing book (located by the ticket desk!).
E Hartley Smith.
Editor-in-Chief
The History of Yorkshire Day Yorkshire Day is an annual celebration held on the First of August to promote the county of Yorkshire and its rich history. Initially, it was celebrated by the Yorkshire Ridings Society in 1975. The society started off as a protest against government reorganization of the county’s traditional borders in 1974. Among the typical festivities of such days, there’s always a reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity held in the city of York. This reading is done in all languages that have been spoken in Yorkshire since the declarations earliest known reference in Anglo Saxon times. Yorkshire was founded by the Vikings in 875AD, meaning Yorkshire has been standing for well over 1000 years. This will hopefully continue to do so for many more years to come. Other significant events also have an anniversary on the same date; the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 as well as the Battle of Minden.
Errol G. Harsley
Programme and bios We thought you’d like to get to know the performers and ourselves a little better!
About Forge Zine
Forge Zine was established in May 2019 when we were nearing the end of our university career. We wished to continue to attend activities, festivals and events with the frequency that we did at university, this paired with the need to publish work on a small scale enabled Forge Zine to be born. We publish editions quarterly on the Solstices and Equinoxes. We are an inclusive zine and we love when creatives challenge our publishing skills by sending us weird and wonderful submissions. Yorkshire Day is our debut event and we have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far! So keep an eye out for future Forge Zine events in the future. All our editions can be read through issuu.com/forgezine, or find a social media account of ours and there’s a link in our bio which will take you there! Facebook: @ForgeZine Instagram: @forgezine Twitter: @ forgezine Email: theforgezinesubmissions@gmail.com Find our previous editions at issuu.com/forgezine
Elle Hartley Smith | Editor-in-Chief, Forge Zine Elle Hartley Smith has played an integral part in creating the idea behind Yorkshire Day. She and Jojo Hall concocted this idea in one of the Corona Lockdowns and they are both very excited to see their hard work come to life and use their degrees for something that can be enjoyed by all! Elle has always held a place in her heart for performing, between dance and musical recitals as a child being on a stage in front of people still scares the sh*t out of her! She’s confident that adrenaline will cure this fear on the night. Born in York, it was evident to her that she would attend University here. She attended York St. John University in 2016 to study Creative Writing and was lucky enough to graduate in York Minster in 2019 before Corona paused life! James Rance | Poet James Rance is a York-based poet, collage artist and performer, working as part of the Forge Zine team to help bring you a night of live performance and music. He moved to York in 2016 to study at York St. John, and was so inspired by this wonderful, historical city that he never wanted to leave. While he has not been able to perform much due to the ongoing pandemic, he has been focusing on creating work in preparation for the return of live poetry nights, and
is very excited to be returning to the stage. James’ work is inspired by surrealism, weird dreams, Pagan rituals, psychedelia and the slightly absurd. His passion for performance comes from a background in theatre and live poetry, and his spoken-word poetry aims to push boundaries and freak the audience out. He can’t wait to get up to weird antics in front of an audience once again! Paul Whelan | Writer & Founder of Acid Bath Publishing Paul Whelan is a poet and fiction writer from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He is a contributor to Forge Zine and editor of Acid Bath Publishing, an independent small press founded in Sheffield in May 2020. He is currently living in London, where he studies MA Publishing and plans his escape back to Yorkshire. ABP’s first anthology Wage Slaves is available at acidbathpublishing.com. Their second publication The Worst Best Years is due for release in summer 2021. Facebook: @AcidBathPublishing Instagram: @AcidBath ublishing Twitter: @AcidBathPub Email: AcidBathPublishing@ gmail.com
About Hallmark Theatre Hallmark Theatre Hallmark Theatre formed in January 2020 just before the pandemic. Tom Allmark and Jojo Hall both graduated from University in 2019 in Drama and Theatre. They both love creating theatre and are so excited to be performing once again. Their aim as a company is to create work that is fun, accessible and educational. Facebook: @hallmarktheatre Instagram: @hallmark_theatre Twitter: @HallmarkTheatre Email: hallmarktheatre@gmail. com Jojo Hall | Co-Founder of Hallmark Theatre Jojo Hall and Elle Hartley Smith had the idea of Yorkshire Day: A Night of Arts during lockdown earlier this year. Jojo can’t wait to get back performing at The Crescent to see her and Elle’s work come to life! Jojo has always enjoyed performing. Born in Sheffield, she started at the age of 11 and has always loved being on stage. She’s performed in local shows within Sheffield. Then Jojo went onto study Drama and Theatre at York St. John University. She graduated with a 2:1 in 2019. Tom Allmark | Co-Founder of Hallmak Theatre Tom Allmark has two passions in life: acting and trains. He enjoys experimenting with many different accents. He believes
that his autism has played a big part in this attention to detail with regards to his passions. When Tim got the change to play the baker in a school production of Joseph his passions for acting really flourished. Tom received a 2:1 in Performing Arts at the University of Lincoln. He has been fortunate enough to have a great job in the acting world, he works on the Ghost Bus Tours in York . Tom is currently studying Rail Engineering at the Leeds College of Building; his boyhood dream of being a train driver is very much alive and within reach! After University Tom and Jojo both started their theatre company: Hallmark Theatre. During lockdowns they had more time to get creative with new ideas: including a possible retelling of a classic by E.Nesbit. Tom is rather chuffed by the idea and cannot wait to get up on stage again. He has a few surprises in store, except zany outfits and unforgivably 00’s throwbacks!
Walking alongside the Ouse in January Like fickle raindrops, the snow reluctantly settles down, covering in graces the edges of the river. The footpath, frozen mud, is now a photograph of this constant moment. And as the cold sets in, the ground will bear witness to every thing, all the iterations, wonders, seconds of motion where time and space linger on like a compound of hardened earth and ice. Fran Fernández Arce
The Performers Gabe Williamson | Writer & Drag Artist Gabe Williamson is a fiction writer and drag performer from Skipton, North Yorkshire. He moved to York in 2016 for university, finishing a Creative Writing degree at York St John University before moving to Leeds in 2021. Prose fiction is his main form, but poetry will always have a place in his heart. Gabe has recently started drag under the name Agave, hoping to combine his writing with a love for performance. He’s currently working on an urban fantasy novel, drawing on past experience working in bars and restaurants. For his writing, he cites Rick Riordan and Neil Gaiman as his main inspirations; his drag influences include cocktails, 00s pop culture, and a massive sweet tooth. Max Palmer | Comedian Max Palmer is a comedian who began his performing career in his first year of University at York St John. Upon joining the Drama Society, he took part in a comedy play and enjoyed the sensation of making the audience
laugh. His acting experience primarily consists of more serious plays, however, this comedy play is what pushed him into the art of stand-up comedy. Hailing from York, and inspired by the work of Patton Oswalt, Dave Chappelle, and Daniel Sloss, Max’s comedic stylings reflect his philosophy that anything can be joked about. Elsie Franklin | Musician Elsie Franklin is a rising talent in the country blues community, being featured on the notorious site countryblues.com. She plays old time american folk music, incorporating everything from blues to jazz with a resonator guitar and vocals. Originally from the South of England, she now resides in York, regularly busking and playing various venues in and around the city. She is widely regarded as a unique and skilled guitarist as well as a powerful vocalist by highly acclaimed musicians such as Steve James and Dave Kelly. Steve says “I am among a growing number of people who feel that her considerable creative energy should be recognized and supported.” Her many influences include Memphis Minnie, Gillian Welch, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Del Rey and her evident devotion to the continuation of female blues has led her to be further credited in ‘Fresh Faces- Women in the Acoustic Roots and Blues’ in which Frank Matheis states “Those
of us who love the acoustic blues and worried about whether there would be a new generation can rejoice. Elsie Franklin is right in there, holding down the fort (...) she is outright superb and exciting.” Keep your eyes peeled for Elsie busking in York city centre! Email: elsiefranklinblues@outlook.com website: www.elsiefranklin.com Instagram: @elsiefranklinblues Facebook: @ ElsieFranklinBlues Thomas Markham | Poet Thomas Markham is a poet from the rural village of Arkengarthdale, high in the North Yorkshire Dales. He resided in York for three years whilst studying Creative Writing and English Language at York St. John University, in which he met many other similar creative writers. Inspired by the strong narratives of video games and prose from a young age Thomas enjoys running plot threads through everything he does whether that be his poetry, his Dungeons and Dragons campaign or his career in education. He fell in love with writing when he realised how easily he found it to express himself and communicate with others through his words. The Phasers | Band The Phasers are an Alternative/Indie Rock band from Sheffield who have been recording and performing for many years! They have released their recent EP ‘Cause and Effect’ in March 2020 and their lead single “Come Close” was featured on Ellie Colton’s Upload show on BBC Radio Sheffield.
No stranger to the vast Sheffield music scene, They have performed in a variety of venues all across their home town and also further afield ranging from Nottingham to Barnsley to Stoke-On-Trent etc. They are an honest and hardworking set of lads who always want to push the boundaries of their musical influences, and always want to give something back to their fans. With an Album and 3 EPs under their belts, They are a band that are not to be missed! Facebook: @ThePhasers Instagram: @the_phasers Email:cityphasers@gmail.com
Kingston It is at the end of the line Nobody goes there, don’t bother It is a deprived city Just don’t waste your time It is one of those ‘has been’ places Nothing to see there anymore It is full of drugs and crime Just read the local paper It has its problems, no doubt But try reading a different paper It is one of those ‘can be’ places There is a new energy in this city It does not have to be a deprived city Just make some time to fix it It is a destination, Hull is home Soon, everybody will want to go there Pramod Subbaraman
Those Who Create Physical Things Greenteeth Press | Independent Publisher
Greenteeth Press is an independent publishing house committed to publishing poetry and prose from writers of underrepresented backgrounds. We believe that books should be accessible for everyone. We were inspired by the landscapes and folklore of the North of England, highlighted in our namesake. The tale of Jenny Greenteeth tells of a river hag that would pull small children into the water and drown them. The name is also used to describe pondweed, which floats over the surface of a river or lake. Our first anthology was published in August 2019, aptly named Pondweed, and Greenteeth Press was born! Facebook: @greenteethpress Instagram: @greenteethpress Twitter: @greenteethpress Email: greenteethsubmissions@ gmail.com Website: greenteethpress.com ELIZZA | Artist ELIZZA is an Experimental Artist using abstract approaches and multi-media techniques to explore the endless cycle of birth and death, and the liminal state between death and rebirth, drawing on Buddhism, Paganism and Eastern spirituality. ELIZZA’s practice centres on drawings, masks, prints and performances with ritualistic
overtones. Their themes centre on biographical insights and Kristeva’s ‘abject’. Instagram: k.eliza.art Email: k.eliza.art@gmail.com Website: www.keliza.art Alex Luliak | Craftsman Alex Luliak is a craftsman, he focuses on the use of wood within his work. The use of his hands, his creative mind, his connection and curiosity of materials derived from nature is what drives his craft. He believes that while he is crafting the natural materials he uses, the appreciation, care and love he has for what he does comes through in the finished product. His products take time to create but the uniqueness of what they are really shines through. Alex has been working with natural materials for a number of years now. He has just recently made his passion and hobby into something which can be purchased and appreciated by many.
Published in the UK in 2021 by Forge Zine Content © the individual contributors, as credited Editorial © E Hartley Smith Typesetting © Imogen Peniston