Poet With Music
"ONCE THERE WAS AN EMPTY SPACE. THEN THERE WAS "PERFORMER".
There are empty spaces everywhere and the performer's job is to fill it with story."
Zena's Story
Mohamed Ali Writing on the Wall 2013.jpgPoet With MusicMusic is at the core of Zena's writing and performance practice."For me, poetry is a musical score that deepens the meaning of language in the moment and words are the musical notes ."Her music collaborations include The Last Poets, composer and guitarist, Femi Temowo, Jamie Woon, and Randolf Matthews, .She was invited as support for Hugh Masekela and Larry Willis as part of the London Jazz Festival and collaborated with Award Winning musician Senegalese artist Babaa Maal, for Africa Utopia at the Royal Festival Hall.In Other Words - a collaboration with Jamie Woon. Produced by Apples and Snakes Poetry Organisation Healing Pool in collaboration with Randolf Mathews, Henrik Jensen, Maurice Velez. Produced by The One Taste Collective
Her dedication to the craft of performing words, led her to the world of musical theatre, where she refined her writing skills at The Theatre Royal Straford East’s musical theatre course. She then went on to write the lyrics for Nitro Theatre’s epic hip-hop and basketball musical Slam Dunk, directed by Benji Reid.
"The clarity of vision is to be admired." - Brian Apter
As a director, she uses the concepts of 'crafting a poem to craft the performance'.
She also studied Theatre Lighting and sound at The Half Moon Theatre and had her training enhanced at The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. Her passion for lighting and sound experience combined with her experience as a poet in performance, enables her to see a piece of poetry and theatre staged in its entirety.
Today, Zena stands as a dynamic and versatile performer, capable of captivating audiences. Her commanding presence, whether on stage or in front of a camera, is fueled by an unwavering commitment to her craft.
