Famous Last Words UBC

Famous Last Words is a spoken word comedy show that involves poets participating in six rounds of a faux competition where they ‘compete' in a series of poetry related events that are in turn, 'judged' by our host (with input from Uni the Unicorn and our audience).

These games include poems written in unusual forms (haiku, sonnet, limericks, etc.) or on silly themes (love poems directed to someone in the room) or with funny addendums (poems must be written from the perspective of a puppet and must be read with said puppet). There are 25 potential games that can occur during any episode of Famous Last Words thus no two shows are exactly the same.

Recurring characters at every show like Uni or the Dr. Dru or the Professor add silliness to the show and we hand out free chocolate to everyone that attends. We also tend to loan our unicorn bubble guns and give our free sticker/pins to members of the audience. It’s been called a kids show for adults or spoken word that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

This show in particular will feature Babaloluwa (Lolu) Oyedele, Chahat Gakhar, Johnny MacRae, Lindi Nolte, Samantha Kennedy, host Sean McGarragle and of course, Uni the Unicorn.

Babaloluwa (Lolu) Oyedele is a Nigeria-born, South-Africa raised interdisciplinary artist, performer and writer. He is privileged to be part of the Unbound Reading Series team as well as a member of Playwrights Theatre Centre’s Block A writing cohort led by the auspicious David Geary. He is currently working and living in the unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, otherwise known as Vancouver, B.C.

Chahat Gakhar is a poet from New Delhi, India, currently settled on the traditional lands of the Musqueam people. She is in her third year of university studying psychology at UBC. Currently President of UBC Slam Poetry, she hopes to lead her team to create a more inclusive and collaborative poet community on campus and beyond. To her, poetry is a refuge, a friend and a challenge, it keeps her alive and helps her channel her deepest feelings and greatest fears.

Johnny MacRae (he/him) is a spoken word poet living on the unceded ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) nations. A winner of regional and national slam titles, he has toured widely as a featured performer at poetry series and arts festivals, both solo and with collaborative acts such as 2 Dope Boys in a Cadillac, Travelin’ Word Circus and The Dambassadors. In 2013, he was named Poet of Honour for the Victoria Spoken Word Festival, and in 2017, received the Zaccheus Jackson Nyce Memorial Award.

Lindi Nolte is a South African-Canadian spoken word poet, writer, Tedx speaker, educator, and mother. As a poet, Lindi is deeply motivated by nature as nurturer and the connection we forge with ourselves and each other as we navigate the challenges of the human experience. Through personal stories, melodic imagery, and raw emotional expression, Lindi delivers inspiration and strength to those who need it. She lives in Vancouver, facilitates creative writing and spoken word workshops, and works as a secondary school teacher. Lindi’s debut poetry collection “Barefoot and Awestruck” explores the complexity of relationships, the healing power of nature, love and self-discovery. She has a bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and a bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of British Columbia.

Sam Kennedy was born in New Westminster, British Columbia. After pursuing education, she graduated from Douglas College and her creative journey took flight in 2021, when she rediscovered her passion for writing and performing poetry. With dedication and perseverance, she published her first ever poetry collection book ‘With Every Beating Heart’ officially becoming an author. Her poetic influences include Sappho, Margaret Atwood, and Shane Koyczan. She performed her first poem “Boa Constrictor” by Shel Silverstein at a school assembly at age six, is a massive Shakespeare enthusiast, and believes Tolkien is the greatest fantasy writer of all time.

Sean McGarragle is the host and founder of Death Rides a Unicorn. He has performed and read poems and stories across Canada, the US and even a little bit in Europe. He loves presenting interesting artists to curious audiences and chocolate and laughter to everyone.

Uni the Unicorn is a grown up sparkle, a dancing child of the moon and Michael Flatly and the epitome of the joy we hope we can bring to every Death Rides a Unicorn show. In times of direct stress and deress we beieve it is critical to give me joy, laughter and where possible, a little bit of decadence. Uni is all of that wrapped in a hug that smells like home cooking.

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