Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

Poetry Bites has a deserved reputation for delivering high quality conventional poetry. It is to organiser Jacqui Rowe’s considerable credit that this time around she was prepared to take a chance with a more left-field choice of guest poet, which … Continue reading →

Regular poetry events are not easy to sustain. I organised my first event a few weeks ago and was educated in exactly how much hard work goes into making them happen. Those who organise them regularly are heroes, and that … Continue reading →

A heavyweight bill ,with four out of the five readers published poets, brought out another strong attendance, such that the start had to be delayed, a measure both of the success of the event, and the pulling power of poetry … Continue reading →

Fresh from a hugely successful States of Independence publishing fayre event at De Montfort University , held annually, at the weekend, Shindig made its bi monthly appearance at the Western Public House. Another healthy audience comprised those for whom Saturday … Continue reading →

Held as part of the St Patricks festival celebrations, this was a night of poetry spoken word and song in a pub that has seen more St Patricks day celebrations than most. The Old Crown reputedly can trace its history … Continue reading →

“It’s in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips, the stride of my step, the curl of my lips.I’m a woman, phenomenally .Phenomenal woman ,that’s me.” So quoted host Jan Watts, current Birmingham Poet Laureate, from acclaimed … Continue reading →

This event was sponsored by Nine Arches Press, publishers of Krystanovic’s latest and posthumous collection , Moses’ Footsteps ,for which the evening was a launch. A Croatian national, he had lived in Birmingham since 1992 and studied Creative Writing at … Continue reading →

One of the pleasures of spoken word events is that you are never quite sure what you are going to hear when you turn up. This was no exception. The relationship between lyrics and poetry over the years has been … Continue reading →

Running successful poetry nights is not easy. Audiences take time and patience to build, and are fickle .If you don’t give them what they want, the venue will be empty next time around. So it is to Emma Pursehouse’s great … Continue reading →

This is now a well established event drawing competitors from as far away as Gloucester and Manchester. That success is down to the alchemy of Emma Purshouse’s pre show organisational skills , and the onstage charisma of co-hosts Marcus Moore … Continue reading →