Poets from across the Isle of Man are being invited to perform in one of the island's most atmospheric settings as ‘Poets at the Castle’ takes place at Peel Castle on Saturday, July 25, as part of the Macbeth Fringe programme.

The open-mic event will be hosted by performance poet, writer and three-time Manx Poetry Slam champion Jackie Morrey-Grace alongside Grantly Marshall, founder of the American Drama Group Europe (ADGE) and producer of this summer's open-air production of Macbeth.

The event offers poets of all ages and levels of experience the opportunity to perform on the Macbeth stage ahead of the evening performance of Shakespeare's tragedy.

Sign-up opens at 1pm on a first-come-first-served basis, with performances running from 1.30pm until 4pm.

Each participant will have up to three minutes to perform, in addition to a brief introduction, while both hosts will also deliver headline performances.

Poets taking part will receive free admission to Peel Castle and will be eligible to purchase student-price tickets for the evening performance of Macbeth, which begins at 6pm.

Members of the public are also invited to attend the afternoon open mic event, with normal castle admission charges applying.

Grantly said: ‘The Isle of Man has become one of the places our company looks forward to returning to year after year.

‘There is something extraordinary about performing here – the history, the landscape and the warmth of the people create a setting where theatre feels completely at home. Inviting local poets onto the Macbeth stage is a wonderful way to celebrate that creative spirit together.

‘Our productions have always been about making classic theatre accessible and alive. A fringe event like this allows local voices to stand alongside Shakespeare in the very places that make live performance so memorable.’

The event forms part of ADGE's long-standing relationship with the island.

Since first performing here, the company has become a regular fixture in the Manx cultural calendar, inspired by the work of figures including Charles Guard and Mervyn Stokes, whose support helped establish open-air theatre at Peel Castle and Rushen Abbey as a popular summer tradition.

Jackie added: ‘To be invited to co-host this event alongside Grantly is an enormous privilege.

‘As someone who believes passionately in creating opportunities for people to share their stories, there's something magical about opening the Macbeth stage to poets from across our island.

‘Whether you've been performing for years or you've only just found the courage to share your work, we'd love to welcome you. Opportunities like this don't come along every day, and I can't wait to hear the incredible voices our island has to offer.’

Following Poets at the Castle, ADGE will stage its open-air production of Macbeth at Peel Castle at 6pm on Saturday evening, with a further performance taking place at Rushen Abbey on Sunday at 2pm.

For more information about ‘Poets at the Castle’, email Grantly Marshall at [email protected]