24 Oct – 02 Nov
2025
James Domestic: That’s Not Poetry!
James Domestic
Sudbury via Essex, UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND
James Domestic’s That’s Not Poetry! is for clued-up poetry fans, but also for people that think they don’t like poetry!
As counter-cultural poet, Adrian Mitchell famously noted, “Most people ignore most poetry because most poetry ignores most people", and Domestic is a firm believer in the power of poetry to connect with people from all backgrounds through humour and dissection of the minutiae of daily life.
That’s Not Poetry! traces a wonky timeline from his childhood in an ailing Essex seaside town, right up to the present day. Taking in school, awful jobs, poor mental health, pets, politics, alcohol, death, sex, social comment, and an oddball cast of characters that’ll horrify and delight! Domestic’s life has taken an odd trajectory. A working-class kid with no interest in school, he spent his first post-school years between unemployment and working in a chemical factory. His former teacher’s wouldn’t believe that he now holds a doctorate from University of Essex!
Intelligent, irreverent, and delivered with an easy charm, the poetry of James Domestic is for anyone that enjoys words and the absurdities that punctuate the mundanity of the everyday. Audience participation is likely! Sometimes heart-rending, sometimes absurd, That’s Not Poetry! is an outline of a life of wonder, false starts, depression, dreams, triumphs, self-sabotage, and laughter. The vivid images conjured will stick with you long after the show has ended.
Domestic has been a touring punk musician for well over a decade, traversing Europe and releasing many records. He performs poetry across the country, having supported the likes of Luke Wright, Andy Riley, Mark Grist, and Attila the Stockbroker. With several books published, he’s been compared to John Cooper Clarke, Ivor Cutler, Spike Milligan, Ian Dury, and Benjamin Zephaniah.
He's performed on BBC Essex Radio, BBC Three Counties Radio, various podcasts, and BBC Breakfast TV.
As counter-cultural poet, Adrian Mitchell famously noted, “Most people ignore most poetry because most poetry ignores most people", and Domestic is a firm believer in the power of poetry to connect with people from all backgrounds through humour and dissection of the minutiae of daily life.
That’s Not Poetry! traces a wonky timeline from his childhood in an ailing Essex seaside town, right up to the present day. Taking in school, awful jobs, poor mental health, pets, politics, alcohol, death, sex, social comment, and an oddball cast of characters that’ll horrify and delight! Domestic’s life has taken an odd trajectory. A working-class kid with no interest in school, he spent his first post-school years between unemployment and working in a chemical factory. His former teacher’s wouldn’t believe that he now holds a doctorate from University of Essex!
Intelligent, irreverent, and delivered with an easy charm, the poetry of James Domestic is for anyone that enjoys words and the absurdities that punctuate the mundanity of the everyday. Audience participation is likely! Sometimes heart-rending, sometimes absurd, That’s Not Poetry! is an outline of a life of wonder, false starts, depression, dreams, triumphs, self-sabotage, and laughter. The vivid images conjured will stick with you long after the show has ended.
Domestic has been a touring punk musician for well over a decade, traversing Europe and releasing many records. He performs poetry across the country, having supported the likes of Luke Wright, Andy Riley, Mark Grist, and Attila the Stockbroker. With several books published, he’s been compared to John Cooper Clarke, Ivor Cutler, Spike Milligan, Ian Dury, and Benjamin Zephaniah.
He's performed on BBC Essex Radio, BBC Three Counties Radio, various podcasts, and BBC Breakfast TV.
