Ivor Cutler once said of his art, ‘First you get them laughing, then while their mouths are open, you pour the poison in’. This day-long workshop with T. S. Eliot nominated poet Helen Mort considers how poets like Ian McMillan, Geoff Hattersley and others use humour (particularly observational humour, rooted in the North of England) to achieve this effect. Is there a particular kind of Northern Surrealism? How should we relate to it as writers and readers? And how might it be misinterpreted? Plenty of reading and writing exercises and other creative stimuli will help you answer these questions. Visit www.poetryschool.com or call 0207 582 1679 to book your place.