Little Venice, Worcester

This was the first month that Parole Parlate has run without the formidable hosting skills of the “on holiday” Lisa Ventura. So did the mice play while the cat was away?

Did profanity and sleaze rule? No, because Martin stepped in to deliver an evening that was as well run as ever! A good turn -out was rewarded with a very good range of performers, the ones new to “Behind the Arras” of whom will be highlighted in this piece.

Michelle Crosbie took to the floor and impressed everyone with what she claimed to be her first ever “proper” performance in front of a live audience. Well if this really was her debut, she is going to be something special when she gets going. Blessed with youthful “surfer” looks that would get her an automatic part for “Home and Away”, Michelle commanded the stage immediately with an assured, well chosen set which was well articulated, well performed, and entertained from start to finish.

After warming up with “Story Untold” and the clever “Sail of Love” she hit her stride with “O Dark Pilot Whales” a poem about the lost Pilot whales who threatened to beach in South Uist a few months ago. She skilfully layered an eco- poem with ancient mythological imagery, incorporating Herne the Hunter ( as name checked in Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor”) and Sedna, the Innuit Goddess of the Sea, in a hugely satisfying poem before signing off with a sung through offering called “Yes to Love”. Fresh and vibrant, her set was a joy.

STARK AND STRONG

Drugs poems, like drugs songs, are dangerous territory. They risk either wallowing in self-indulgent self –pity ,or glorifying that which they purport to warn against. Fortunately Bobby Parker avoided both traps . His collection of poems on cocaine addiction, entitled “Palpitations”, was stark, strong, awkward and uplifting simultaneously. Disciplined and amusing he also read from his “Smart Arse” anthology, taking in “And Then We Danced “ and “Night Life”.

Static poetry performance can be dull, fortunately Math Jones does not do static performance and instead he paced around delivering a set which was as physically vibrant as the content. It was fun, not comic, and fired a poetic adrenaline shot into the audience. Poems about lust and “All because the lady loves..” were light witty and engaging, whilst “Coat”, a sonnet about the garment left to him by an ex girlfriend ,was wry and painfully accurate. Failed relationship poems from a male perspective are quite rare and this was very sharply observed. “The Boon of Scafell” was a pleasing extended piece whilst his poem on Tarot Cards was fated to succeed.

I had heard about Amy Rainbow before but not heard her in person, and she was quite a treat. Rhyming poetry to a high standard is difficult to do well because there is always a danger that the rhyme is either predictable, or absurdly contrived. Amy’s main device is to use simple rhymes which one might associate with simple subjects- but with a wicked barb which pricks and delights in equal measure, which is very difficult. She succeeds effortlessly.

SELF MASTERY

Performing largely from “Poems of the Unrequited”, she went on a one woman search for love through self mastery that appeared to rule out all men, flattered John Cooper Clarke rotten, and then read a John Betjeman poem that might have been by him- but might not! Her reluctant conversion to the joys of the Women’s Institute was very droll, “Dangerous Verse” was very clever, but my favourite piece from her was “I Don’t”, a withering warning to any man not to propose marriage to her. And I promise you, if you do, you will be cut to shreds by her acid, and very funny, tongue.

Maggie Doyle closed the evening with her usual grace and good humour which included several laugh out loud episodes, but she also injected a less typical serious reflection on the 7/7 Bombings entitled “Why”, which was equally well received. Fellow performance veteran Sarah James never disappoints , and earlier she had romped through her favourites including “Dinner at Chez Per” and “Part of the Furniture” with her customary aplomb. But a new one to me particularly caught my ear, “The Nutritionists Night Out”. Witty and wry she delivered it with brio and pizzazz and a smart pay off line about a “strange Italian dressing”. Sammy Joe also impressed with some bold, challenging material , although she suffered a little without amplification.

Parole Parlate next plays on Thursday 4th August at Little venice, St Nicholas St Worcester at 7.30pm.