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Perth Poetry Club has poets, reader and musician by name of Carolyn Abbs & Istenad Haddad with Monique Pettavino & Hussein Al-Mudhari + open mike
this Saturday 10th May, 2pm-4pm, at The Moon Café, 323 William Street Northbridge, and on ZOOM.
Carolyn Abbs (Carrie) is author of two poetry collections, Why She Gave Me the Painting (WAPP, 2025), and The Tiny Museums (UWAP, 2017), previously Highly Commended in the Dorothy Hewett Award for an unpublished manuscript. She collaborated with her sister, Elizabeth McClair Roberts, on a poetry / photography project: ‘Different Hemispheres’ in Axon: Creative Explorations (2014). Her poems appear in leading journals and anthologies: Australian Poetry Journal, Anthology of Australian Prose Poetry, Australian Book Review, print, online, and a recording for the ‘States of Poetry Project’ (2016), Axon: Creative Connections, Best Australian Poems 2014, Cordite Poetry Review, Cuttlefish, Meniscus, play: an anthology of microlit, Rabbit, Westerly, and other places.
She has won the Visible Ink, Creatrix, and KSP Poetry Prize. She holds a Ph.D. from Murdoch University where she taught in the School of Arts for a number of years. Carolyn has been a featured guest poet at various local poetry events, and appeared at the Perth Writers Festival in 2018. She now lives and writes by the ocean in South Fremantle.
Istenad Haddad is a director and writer, having work in the diverse field of theatre, cinema, television and ballet. He has written poetry and visual criticism, worked in the television industry and as a member of the Arab press in Iraq, Jordan, The United Arab Emirates, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, and has obtained diplomas in arts and film direction. He migrated to Australia in August 2005 and has since studied film and TV production at TAFE Perth.
Istenad has many credits, including:
- completing written short film projects (Glasses Eyes) for ScreenWest company 2018.
- Won the best director Award from Cheongju International Acting Awards South Korea Acting Festival 2020.
- poem ( Reeds of House) in The Small Poetry Museum, Italy 2020.
- Judge in international multicultural film festival ,Australia 2021.2022.2023
- Judge in international Muslim film festival Australia 2020 and 2021.2022.2023
- won 5 awards for his play (Clouds) from Cheongju International Acting Awards/ South Korea 2021.
- Fragrant East. A joint poetic group, published the book by the Australian-Arab Cultural Forum 2022.
- Appreciation Award, Fifth International Babylon Festival/ Iraq ‘88
- Appreciation Award for Feature Film Script Competition / Cinema and Theatre Iraq, for the scenario I Love It Like This / 1987
Istenad will read in Arabic, Monique Pettavino will read in English. Hussein Al-Mudhari will play the oud.
Monique Pettavino was born in Lebanon a few years before the war officially began. Her family immigrated to Canada and became Canadian. Later on they move to the south of France where she went to an international school, and lived there until 2018 when she came to Perth. She has a very diverse and multi multicultural background, and is well travelled. Monique is a support worker and acupressure practitioner. During her free time, Monique is an amateur dancer, and practices Taichi and Qi Gong, both promoting physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Hussein Al-Mudhari is a lyric poet, a member of the Popular Poets Association, and a short story writer. His poems and a collection of short stories have been published in the Iraqi press. In addition, he is interested in music and singing. Rural singers have sung for him, and Jaafar Al-Khafaf composed the song “I am the worried one since the day you pardoned me.” He has a booklet called “Oral Memory” that is being printed.
Please join us to celebrate poetry,
this Saturday, 10th May 2025, 2pm to 4pm Perth Aus WST (GMT+8hrs).
Carolyn Abbs & Istenad Haddad, with Monique Pettavino & Hussein Al-Mudhari, + open-mike
at The Moon Café, 323 William Street, Northbridge and on Zoom,
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84254037443
The backroom of The Moon is properly air-conditioned now, and it is a great space to be wherever you are on a Saturday afternoon 2pm-4pm WST, because in weeks to come, we have:
10-May-25
Carolyn Abbs & Istenad Haddad with Monique Pettavino
& Hussein Al-Mudhari + open-mike
17-May-25
Ita Goldberger + open-mike
24-May-25
Samantha Melia + open-mike
31-May-25
Allan Padgett & Lorraine Horsley + open-mike
… All with open mike, not to be missed …