Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

This monthly event continues to prosper with a committed core of supporters who never fail to produce an evening of high quality and entertaining poetry in a relaxed and supportive environment. By chance, several poets chose to dip into their … Continue reading →

Heather Wastie led this May’s instalment of Mouth & Music for which another good sized crowd gathered to see a strong open mic bill, and headliners The Decadent Divas. Heather also took the opportunity to rally support to challenge Kidderminster … Continue reading →

This long running event continues to prosper under the careful curatorship of Anthony R Owen who this month had invited Sarah James from Worcestershire to be guest poet. Sarah is a sought after performer at these events due to her … Continue reading →

I am fond of seeing Shakespeare performed in public houses as it recreates the milieu in which the plays would originally have been performed. The Lamp Tavern itself is an old, characterful , intimate, backstreet place, in which you bump … Continue reading →

Fading spring light still clung to the evening hour through the haze of light drizzle as April’s instalment of Bilston Voices commenced . The usual, strong , crowd assembled early for coffee and cake before sampling the main course of … Continue reading →

Poetry readings abound in the Midlands at the moment. Men and women are seen entering a rich variety of bars, pubs, meeting rooms and libraries clutching notepads and books. Tonight they converged on Bloxwich, an ideal venue with sound system … Continue reading →

Organised by host Gary Carr, this monthly spoken word event continues to provide a solid platform for experienced, and less experienced ,writers alike to trial their work in a supportive atmosphere. Trusty troubadours arrive from as far away as Buxton, … Continue reading →

Erdington Library has been hosting a week long series of poetry workshops curated by Jan Watts, Birmingham Poet Laureate. This night was a showcase for those who had worked for four days to develop, and hone, their poetic skills. Reprising … Continue reading →

When Cheltenham Poetry Festival launched in 2011 it was described as ‘a triumph’ by poet Alison Brackenbury, now in its second year ,it has returned bigger and better with 95 performers over 5 days, overseen by Chief Executive Director Anna … Continue reading →

The Boars Head is a proper old fashioned pub, full of doors and nooks and crannies. It has also become a cultural hub in Kidderminster. When it first opened in 1888, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats and Tennyson were alive and … Continue reading →