Ideation techniques and pushing through failure, with 'BBC London-Voice' and 'Jerwood New Playwright', poet / actor, Tife Kusoro.

My guest for this episode is Nigerian-British poet, screenwriter, actor, and performer, Tife Kusoro.

In 2021 Tife was announced as a Jerwood New Playwright by the Royal Court Theatre, as well as one of the BBC’s London Voices for the same year.

In October 2023 she was commissioned by The Poetry Society to write the official poem celebrating Illuminated River, a major public artwork across the Thames.

The resulting poem, “‘I Would Rather Look at You” describes a night-time journey from London Bridge to Lambeth Bridge and perfectly captures the art commission with humour and a sense of wonder.

Tife and I discussed how her enjoyment of the creative process along with her perfectionist streak easily push her through failure; her range of influences, including Marsha P Johnson, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Barry Jenkins and Michaela Coel’s Channel 4 sitcom, Chewing Gum; and how her goal is always to replicate the feelings she experiences when enjoying other artworks.