ACT XIV: S*an D. Henry-Smith
Featuring a full-length reading of S*an D. Henry-Smith’s forthcoming poetry collection 'PACES THE CAGE'
December 6, 2025—Doors at 8pm
Torpedo Theater, Amsterdam
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On December 6th and 7th Playbill will present its first double-bill weekend, beginning with an act dedicated to poet, educator and photographer S*an D. Henry-Smith. Within their practice, Henry-Smith explores Black/queer diasporic practices rooted in experimentalism, improvisation and transdisciplinarity, often working collaboratively across outputs spanning sound, performance and publishing.
In continuing with this year’s focus of ‘song’, Henry-Smith draws on a background of expanded poetry readings and performances engaging and supported by music—having performed similar compositions under their own name and with the solo project sunchoke, and as a bandmate in outfits including twill, PhantomSun, Depth Address and Black Boots—to present their forthcoming poetry collection 'PACES THE CAGE' (The Song Cave, New York). Lifting off from their previous book 'Wild Peach', published with Futurepoem in 2020, Henry-Smith’s latest collection expands an already-queered language to near breaking point, taking up an ongoing consideration of the permeable lines between poetry, performance and their relative stakes in language, in process amplifying an ever-multiplying voice—belated, and yet to arrive. Through the complexities of personal experiences and the use of a poetically fragmented voice, the literal and metaphorical are here remixed in real time. While 'PACES THE CAGE' is Henry-Smith’s second book of poetry, it is the first time they will present a book from start to finish as a live performance. Given that 'PACES THE CAGE' is also set to be published in literally a matter of days, ACT XIV stands in as an unofficial book launch of sorts, in Henry-Smith’s new home town, no less.
Unfolding primarily as a vocal performance—in which reading, singing and humming will take centrestage—it will be accompanied by some sonic interventions—such as looping, guitar and mic'd percussion—and the recording of a film yet-to-be-made. In experimenting with the live format, the performance and its rehearsal will be documented via video shot in the style of the concert-film. Zooming in on the unanticipated flutter of a hand and other performance affectations often otherwise ignored, the film will focus attentively on Henry-Smith’s movements, resulting in both the documentation of a live act and a portrait of gesture. To shoot the film Henry-Smith will collaborate with Silvia Ulloa, Playbill’s in-house documentor, and artist and collaborator Dustin James.
While preparing their act, Henry-Smith has also been working with Playbill on the selection of artists for our third Open Stage act, a dialogue through which we have had the pleasure of witnessing their commitment to collaboration, peer-to-peer exchange and education first-hand. This act will take place the following night, giving audiences the chance to celebrate their practice across a whole weekend—and to toast the first public outing of the achievement that is 'PACES THE CAGE'.
