Interrobang Interrogation – JL Williams

Are you feeling it?! INTERROBANG: Lost in Space?! looms large on the horizon. It’s only T-2 DAYS until Saturday, 29th April at 2pm.

Fortunately, that gives us time to fit in a couple more Interrobang Interrogations. Today’s crew member donning the helmet and spacesuit is JL WILLIAMS. She’s been a dream guest for us for a while, and the timing of her appearance is most fortuitous – her timely new collection, After Economy, is out now and gets its formal launch next week. That takes place on 3 May, 6pm, at the Talbot Rice Gallery – more details on her website.

Either that, or someone's reversed the polarity
JL Williams messing with the gravity generator on the cloister level, again.

JL Williams practice incorporates expanding dialogues through poetry across languages, perspectives and cultures and in cross-form work, visual art, dance, opera and theatre. And did we mention that After Economy, her third collection, is out now with Shearsman Books? You can find out much more at www.jlwilliamspoetry.co.uk.

And here’s how she answered our questions:

?!:  You’re packing before blasting off with the Interrobang Space Cadets. What item are you taking with you to represent the human race?

JLW:  A pencil.

And then they all climbed out of the paper...
A pencil? That feels like it could get pretty dangerous…

?!: Sitting on the launch pad, you feel like you’re starring in a sci-fi movie. What’s your favourite piece of science fiction?

JLW:  Blade Runner.

?!:  Ricky Interrobang’s a big fan of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Wonder how apprehensive we should be about Blade Runner 2049?

?!:  Anyway. As the Space Ship Interrobang pulls away from the Earth, you look down and see the curve of the planet. You play a piece of music to accompany this incredible moment. What is it?

JLW: Nirvana, Come As You Are.

Come to the Biscuit Factory on Saturday. We swear we don’t have guns.

?!:  When the track ends, you look down again and see home is a little blue marble. For some reason, you’re hit by a vivid memory of a time you lost something down there. What was it?

JLW:  My first poem – it was about a blue glass bluebird

?!:  Finally, back on the spaceship, you’re looking forward to presenting a piece of poetry or prose or music to the weird-looking people you’re going to encounter with the Interrobang crew. Without being too spoiler-ific, what can you tell us about it?

JLW: Poems from my new book – an exploration of the fine line between abundance and apocalypse.

Between a great set and this cover art, you'll want one
After Economy and other of JL Williams’ work will be available at the show

After Economy sounds really intriguing! Thanks a lot to JL Williams for indulging the INTERROBANG?! Interrogation. Together with Ever Dundas and Claire Askew, she’s going to be giving the spoken word aspect of INTERROBANG: Lost In Space?! at The Biscuit Factory on 29 April (admission free, £5 suggested donation) a pleasingly chewy aspect. 

Come as you are. Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don’t be late.