Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

This year the Lichfield Festival has been a curious affair, seemingly top heavy with high ticket out-of –town performers, and light of local talent. Poetry, save for the appearance of Carol Ann Duffy, has been poorly served. That is a … Continue reading →

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, … Continue reading →

Worcester Arts Workshop Centre, Cellar Bar, Worcester BILLED as “Midsummer Madness”, this was an event which was part of the Worcester Literary Festival and despite competing with two other events was well attended by both an impressive array of poetic … Continue reading →

Old Cottage Tavern, Burton upon Trent This was the third event at this new venue, which I suspect means that it is no longer new, and should no longer be described as such. Organiser Gary Carr was rewarded with the … Continue reading →

The Voice Box, Forman St, Derby Spoken word events traditionally major on poetry, interspersed with the odd prose piece to provide a bit of a break. “Spread the Word” turns this concept on its head by majoring on storytelling, and … Continue reading →

Erdington Library, Birmingham This evening performance was part of a week -long series of workshops and performances at the library led by Jan Watts. Erdington Library has traditionally been hugely supportive of this type of event and so it was … Continue reading →

Metro Cafe, Bilston IF YOU like your poetry events in an unpretentious, friendly, welcoming environment, you should look no further than Bilston Voices. Organiser and MC Emma Purshouse has this uncanny knack of assembling an interesting and varied bill, and … Continue reading →

Kitchen Garden Cafe, Kings Heath POETRY Bites is an event which “Behind the Arras” has been meaning to cover for some time. Finally that moment arrived. The venue itself I was familiar with and exudes Bohemian bonhomie. It hosts bands, … Continue reading →

The Old Cottage Tavern, Burton-on-Trent THE second event at The Old Cottage Tavern, “Spoken Worlds” is settling in now just fine at a venue to which it is well suited. “Behind the Arras” has covered individual performances quite closely in … Continue reading →

Station Pub, Kings Heath BIRMINGHAM has had more than its fair share of national and international poetry talent in recent months. Lorna Meehan with Rhymes continued that trend by inviting the best of the poetry talent from Milton Keynes to … Continue reading →