Caitlin O’Ryan: At What Point – The Old Market, Brighton and Hove

We’re at The Old Market in Hove (actually) on a Tuesday night.

We’re here to see Caitlin O’Ryan and poet pals AFLO. and Maxine Meixner in an evening of words on the things that unite us, in a world designed to keep us small.

The show, At What Point, is part of The Old Market’s annual Reigning Women festival of female performance. An iconic, eclectic collection of poetry, theatre, music and more. A highlight in the calendar that makes a very welcome return.

The audience is full of multiple generations of mad, sad, glad women, and the odd man. Friends, family, lovers and initially, seemingly lone souls. All here to see a trio of top poets share tales of womanhood in 2026.

Maxine Meixner treats us to an identifiable and tender set that taps into the fabric of being a woman. From rooting for strangers, to catcalling and the relentless tick-tock of your biological clock. There’s sincerity and solidarity in every word.

AFLO. the poet takes to the stage in a stream of feminist fire. Her set on angry women, learning to re-connect with ourselves and the power of poetry is fuelled by a fierce kind of fury that brings the men in suits to their knees. All set to an orchestra of finger clicks from an audience who really relate to her material. AFLO. in full flow is electric, full of energy and lights a spark in every woman watching.

After the interval, our headliner, Woman’s-Hour-featured Caitlin O’Ryan appears in the spotlight. She takes a moment to acknowledge that poetry sometimes has a somewhat ropey reputation, and yet…the room is packed. For good reason. O’Ryan is really quite an extraordinary performer. There’s an ease and simplicity in her demeanour, but the rhythm, the storytelling, the choice of words? They hit the mark every single time. She’s a leading light in this new era of storytelling for a refreshed, now-contemporary art form. 

Who can articulate the community of the women’s toilets on a Friday night, the groan of a bad date with a faux feminist mask, the peace of watching cars pass by at 2am? O’Ryan can. A lament on late-twenties-life, the worry of being left behind. The enormity and injustice of the world – Gaza, Gisèle Pelicot and Sarah Everard. The comfort of a heard voice in a packed room. Sound infused in a focus so infectious you could hear a pin drop.

There’s such a special atmosphere that it’s really hard to put into words. We’re here for just one night, from different paths of life, but there’s a thread that unites us simply in the wonder and woes of womanhood. Audience members make their own contributions in a way that shows the spectrum of shared experience. O’Ryan connects this in such a way that reminds us we are never, ever alone.

From soul-searching, to finding peace in the now. At What Point is a poignant, uplifting experience that will feed your soul and find a home for your unmet fury. An essential experience for women of all ages.

Reviewed on 31 March 2026.