Us and Them – The War on Terror (in error) – Paul Francis

Posted on November 3, 2015 by garylongden

PF
This is the third publication in three years from Paul, who is prominent on the Midlands and Borders poetry circuit. A retired schoolteacher from Shropshire, he attends, and performs, at Slams , festivals , and conventional readings , as well as running workshops, and is Poet in Residence for next year’s Wenlock Poetry Festival at which he is the reigning Slam Champion.

The poems in this collection reflect back over the past fourteen years, and examine how terrorism, and our response to it, has evolved over that period.
His anchor poem, The Ballad of Shaker Aamer, assumes a greater poignancy now that, subsequent to publication, Aamer has been released ( although Paul will claim no credit for this!). It is a piece he has performed on many occasions, and has the feel of a Bob Dylan protest song. Yet this is no retrospective. Brothers on the Beach, about the Tunisia beach massacre brings us right up to date, rightly questioning how abandoning their tourist industry will help stop the tide of fanatical angry jihadists.

Mainly, his poems rhyme, echoing the political ballads of the 18th and 19th century, juxtaposing a traditional, insistent rhythm, with modern content. The language is relaxed, conversational, with its share of slang. This is no didactic rant, but a conversation. A conversation along the lines of- have you thought? About irrational fear? About surrendering our rights? About why the young can be radicalised? About whether the Government is a greater threat to our schools than Muslim fundamentalists? About what freedom means?

Paul writes as easily in rhyming couplets as he does in sonnets. You won’t find a sonnet sequence on terror anywhere else! Those who prefer their poetry about birds and meadows will find familiar form on unfamiliar territory. Those who like their poetry to be contemporary will warm to uncomfortable themes, well told.

Copies are available from: Liberty Books. Much Wenlock, TF13 6JQ,priced £3francisliberty@btinternet.com
See Paul’s website:www.paulfranciswrites.co.uk

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Peter Pan – Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre, Lichfield Garrick

Posted on October 30, 2015 by garylongden

pp1
****
JM Barrie’s timeless children’s classic was an excellent choice for half term week in Lichfield. The libretto is unusually strong for a musical, and although the score is less familiar, it is instantly accessible, and works with the story, rather than simply being an excuse to fit in a good song. Novel (1904) and musical (1954) are separated by half a century, the latter winning numerous awards for its reimagining of the original story. The theme of childhood innocence endures.

Musical and pantomime versions routinely cast Peter as a young woman, however here, the producer, Faye O’Leary, bravely opts for a young man, Patrick Jervis, to play the eponymous role, reflecting a more straight forwards, narrative production, than knockabout panto. Technically this show is very demanding, including multiple stage sets, flying rigs, and Tinkerbell as a bright shaft of light. It is an ambitious enterprise to take on.

Amateur companies have a big advantage over professional ones when staging musicals as they can muster the numbers onstage without crippling costs. From the opening curtain, it was clear that this was going to be a big production show with the opening song, “There’s Something in the Air Tonight “ performed as an ensemble piece. As the setting then shifts to the bedroom of the children’s home, so Dan Ankatel picked up the gauntlet, confident, convincing and perfectly cast as Mr Darling opposite Carly Highland, playing his wife. All three children bring pleasing character to their roles. Chris Buckle, the youngest, eschews the “cute kid” short cut and brings John alive. Alex Nichols offers us a well observed , reserved, almost nerdy, Michael, and Lucy Charnock is superb as Wendy, effortlessly morphing from sister to mum, with a strong singing voice in her acting armoury too.

Lucy Charnock as Wendy

Lucy Charnock as Wendy

The show lifts off, in both a literal and figurative sense, as the children travel and arrive in Neverland, with a slick, energetic, dance scene featuring the Lost Boys, a real showstopper that choreographer Maggie Jackson can be very proud of. She is fortunate that the script also requires an Indian dancing troupe, The Braves, to perform, headed by Tiger Lily . She was even more fortunate to have the lithesome Aoife Kenny in the role. Aoife danced, shimmied and strutted with an enthusiasm, dexterity and adroitness that will surely have Beyonce looking over her shoulder.

Tiger Lily struts her stuff with her Braves

Tiger Lily struts her stuff with her Braves

Although Peter Pan provides the billing for the show, Captain Hook provides the soul, wonderfully performed by Peter Beck . Beck, replete with long flowing locks, looked like a strange hybrid of King Louis 14th and Geezer Butler, commanding the stage whenever he appeared, ably assisted by the indefatigable Craig Allen as his sidekick Smee. The two of them providing a memorable comic pairing.

Peter Pan and Hook fight it out

Peter Pan and Hook fight it out


Further laughs were provided by a panto style dog and crocodile, much to the delight of the younger children within the audience. The narrator was played by the evergreen Lynne Hill with charm authority and wistfulness, embodying the spirit of the evening. Musical Director Sheila Pearson and her band performed the music with brio and elan, with the tom- tom player particularly committed to the cause. Production manager and stage manager Glyn Adams should also be congratulated for making a complex set, and the all -important flying, work so well.

This show offers a very enjoyable evening out for young, old, and the young at heart. J M Barrie wrote ““It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies, and almost the only thing for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are children.” That magic was captured tonight, and runs till 31st October.

Gary Longden

This review first appeared in Behind the Arras, abridged, where a comprehensive collection of reviews from the best of Midlands theatre, from a range of reviewers, is available.
http://www.behindthearras.com/

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Blood Brothers- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on October 27, 2015 by garylongden

bb6

An elite clutch of theatrical productions have a momentum of their own, selling out houses- because they do. Blood Brothers is one such production filling the Grand on a late autumnal Monday night. The audience was encouragingly mixed with a strong younger element evidence that its appeal transcends the tribal cognoscenti of its era, and its themes still attract across the generations.

The big names are Marti Pellow as the narrator, and Maureen Nolan as Mrs Johnstone. The Nolan sisters have secured a virtual sisterly hegemony on the role, with Maureen the fourth sister to have worn Mrs Johnstone’s pinafore. She plays her with warmth, energy, humour and pathos. Narrator Pellow watches from the shadows, as sinister as a Crocky chancer, but without the consistency of accent. The role is fairly one dimensional with occasional undemanding harmony parts, he will be able to undertake his new year’s Wet Wet Wet gigs with no fear of exhaustion. His speaking parts are delivered as rhyming couplets in the tradition of the Chorus in Greek tragedy. And so it unfolds:

“So did y’ hear the story
Of the Johnstone twins?
As like each other as two new pins
Of one womb born, on the self -same day,
How one was kept and one given away?”

The single street set is impressive and evocative of its era. Was the Everton slogan on the wall spray painted by Toffees chairman and show Director Bill Kenwright himself? If not, at the very least ,he will have allowed himself a smile.

Although Nolan and Pellow acquit themselves with credit, it is the supporting cast who shine. Sean Jones and Joel Benedict play the twins as children and young adults, a formidable task with huge, well-realised, comic possibilities. Danielle Corlass is delightfully leggy as the twins’ love interest and Paula Tappenden delivers an unhinged Mrs Lyons, the illegal adopting mother with compelling conviction.

blood 2

The first act’s appeal is its faithful recreation of happy family life, soon to be destroyed:

“And who’d dare tell the lambs in Spring
What fate the later seasons bring?”

The second act, which after an opening that on the night fizzled and crackled, rather than burned, shifts gears rapidly for its destructive climax.

Although a musical, it is the story and characterisation which are the stars. There is only one memorable song “Light Romance” ,sensitively sung by Maureen Nolan, the rest is incidental, “Tell Me It’s Not True”, the best known song, is little more than a repeated refrain. But the themes of brotherhood, adolescence, motherhood, and hard times are memorably created and exploited by author Willy Russell. Although proudly set in Liverpool, the bleak urban landscape will have been familiar to the Wolverhampton audience.

The sound was a little thin from the modest orchestra, and it struck me that the part of the narrator need not be a “name” thereby saving some money which might better be put into a more full sound.

At the end, the narrator laments:

“Did you ever hear the story of the Johnstone twins?
As like each other as two new pins
How one was kept and one given away
How they were born, and they died,
On the self- same day”

bb4

A tragedy laid bare at the opening scene, which the rest of the play then leads up to. Yet on the way, the good humour, laughs and humanity of the story ensure that this is a tale of upliftment, rather than despair. Blood Brothers runs till Saturday 31st October.

Gary Longden

This review first appeared in Behind the Arras, abridged, where a comprehensive collection of reviews from the best of Midlands theatre from a range of reviewers is available.
http://www.behindthearras.com/

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Mindgame – Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on October 22, 2015 by garylongden

mindgame

*****
Author Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific and successful multi- media writers around, writing books, TV series, films, and plays . His best known work includes the bestselling teen spy series Alex Rider , and TV series Midsomer Murders, and Foyles War.

Mindgame was originally written as a novel, before Horowitz adapted it for the stage, premiering in Colchester in 1999 before transferring to the West End in 2000. A taut psychological thriller, it is particularly well suited for the tight close spaces of amateur theatre.

With just four characters, this is a demanding production for the cast. Mark Styler is a brash young writer, determined to visit notorious serial killer Easterman as research for a book he is writing. Dr Farquar is not keen to facilitate the interview, Nurse Plimpton is a strangely anxious nurse in attendance.

What follows is a twisting exploration of the public’s fascination with murder, sadism and serial killers. What separates those who enjoy reading about it, to those who do it? Who is interviewing who ( whom…) ? Who is the victim? Who are the guilty parties? Coming out of the theatre audiences will also namecheck Quentin Tarantino, such is the clever dialogue, and macabre, dark, turns.

This is a particularly difficult play to review without revealing key plot developments. What I can say is that if you like twisting psychological thrillers, you will love this production.

Ben Field delivers a fine, nuanced performance including many difficult soliloquies. Joseph Flanagan is a marvellous foil as his inner self is revealed. Liz Webster plays a supporting, but vital role, and is frighteningly vulnerable when cornered.

Theatre goers should be aware that there are some very convincing violent scenes, but that they are lightened by a witty, wry, erudite, contemporary script . It has the audience laughing out loud both to relieve tension, and to enjoy some waspish black humour. The durability of a Marks & Spencer shopping bag has surely rarely been similarly tested. Suffolk audiences will require a sense of humour.

Director Vida Green has done a fabulous job. Technically, it is a challenging show, and with many extended speeches, keeping the audience engaged is a constant concern. Fortunately her cast are superb providing no weak links, just wonderfully compelling performances. The intimate atmosphere of the physical theatre is exploited marvellously as we become part of events unfolding at Fairfields Hospital. John Islip and his team have constructed a credible hospital set which remains in situ for the duration with only minor amendments.

An unusually edgy choice by Sutton Arts, a choice which was wholly vindicated by the response from an audience who were captivated by the play’s progress, and who demonstrated their appreciation by more laughs than I have heard in many comedies, and a rousing reception at the end.

Mindgame runs till 31st October, I suggest that liver is off the menu for dinner beforehand.

Gary Longden

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The Hound of the Baskervilles- Lichfield Garrick, Studio Theatre,

Posted on October 16, 2015 by garylongden

Hound 2
The Fired Up Theatre Company are starting to define the word versatile. From the rock opera’s of The Wall and Quadrophenia, and the thriller-scape of The Fell Walker, they now tackle this traditional murder mystery classic. Much played in numerous film and television adaptations, it was also produced for the stage by the Peepolykus Theatre Company at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2007.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of the crime novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes and is often voted the best by aficionados of Doyle. Originally serialised in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England’s West Country and tells the story of an attempted murder inspired by the legend of a fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin. Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson investigate the case.

Holmes and Watson are such established figures in popular literary culture that many productions have veered towards pastiche. This production is billed :“a tragi-comedy, farce thriller, melodramatic theatre performance”, so there was quite a lot to fit in!

The production opens to a bare stage, bar a chair, a back projection screen, and mists seemingly rolling in from the dark moors around. A company of thirteen ensured the minimalist stage was always busy, the big screen providing still and live action backdrops. The latter was particularly well utilised for live action footage of the cast at a railway station and on a train, courtesy of Chase Water Heritage railway. Original music by Helen Thorne and incidental music by Jimmy Dewhirst was particularly atmospheric and effective.

Mal Dewhirst’s script was authentic and easy on the ear, humorous without veering into pastiche. His running gag of a complex situation being a “two pipe problem” consistently drew laughs. Co-director Simon Quinn also took on the part of Sherlock Holmes in an engaging portrayal, part wacky Dr Who, part North Bank Boot Boy. John Westoby was a credible foil as Dr Watson, deferential, a poor shot, and always second best to Sherlock’s inimitable powers of deduction.

Supporting were a strong cast. I particularly enjoyed Michael Lieber’s Dr Mortimer, his stage wife, Frida Andersson, got to wear the best dress, and looked fabulous, whilst convincingly attempting to invoke the spirits of the dead in the seance scene. Anthony Webster as Barrymore, sporting a mane of hair that will have Andie MacDowell green with envy, and should have L’Oreal racing to swap models, was excellent, giving a restrained, nuanced performance, as did Tamsyn Ashton as his wife, evoking the “downstairs” of Downton Abbey.

Minor parts can have big impacts and Will Green set a confident tone at the start as the Coroner, whilst the teasingly androgynous Mrs Frankland was played with zest and good humour by Hannah Smith.

The temptation on stage adaptations is to grossly simplify the plot, but with thirteen actors at his disposal, Mal Dewhirst’s writing does not compromise, and still tells the tale effectively within the one hour fifty minute performed running time.

A fine adaptation of a popular tale, well told. “Hound of the Baskervilles” runs till Saturday 17th October.
hound

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Rhymes, Rock & Revolution- BBC3

Posted on October 16, 2015 by garylongden

John-Cooper-Clarke
I have been involved in performance poetry now for a decade as a perfomer, events organiser, reviewer, blogger, lister, Staffordshire Poet Laureate and audience member, although my interest in poetry as a form goes back to childhood. Despite its burgeoning, cross-generational popularity, largely it is shunned by the mainstream media. Part of me likes that, the fact that I am “in the know”, another part desperately wants to share its joys beyond the confines of the converted.

One of the delights of being amongst the poetry community is its accessibility. Sadly, I am never likely to meet musical heroes like Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies and Polly Harvey. But at poetry gigs you can. You can have a chat , coffee or beer with your heroes and they are pleased to talk. That connection between performer and audience is still strong.

When I heard that the BBC was producing a programme on Performance Poetry entitled “ Rhymes, Rock & Revolution” my heart soared and sank in equal measure. Soared at the potential publicity, sank at the prospect of a botched job. Transmission time increased that trepidation. But I needn’t have worried.

Trying to cover fifty years in fifty eight minutes was an impossible task, who you left out a far bigger problem than who you included. But such was the canniness of producer Claire Leavey that an impossible task was reduced to the possible, then delivered. Trying to determine a year zero was always going to be contentious, but few would argue with the significance of Ginsberg’s Royal Albert Hall appearance in 1965 as a good a place as any to start. The footage was compelling- so many people, for poetry!

As the roll call of talking heads unfolded, so did a broad smile, as I had met almost all. That isn’t a boast, just an observation that it was possible to gauge the projected image with my knowledge of the real one. I first saw John Cooper Clarke in 1978, when he was supporting the Buzzcocks at a punk gig. His ability to perform catchy poetry, and dodge incoming airborne beer cans, simultaneously, impressed even then. He was a worthy standard bearer to choose.

Attila the Stockbroker too was wisely chosen, although the “Essex Boy” moniker was a little misleading, his ongoing commitment to the form is such that although his profile is less than JCC, his perspective is as sage on the bigger picture. Politically he has always used his verse to prick the conscience of those in power. Alternative talking head was the imperious Lemn Sissay whose simple, but acute observations educated and entertained. Although Linton Kwesi Johnson is over rated in my opinion, his place in the poetry timeline probably deserved at least a mention though.

Gill Scott Heron

Gill Scott Heron

In the 19th and 18th century, poets were regularly imprisoned for their poems when they offended the great and good. No review of the past fifty years could omit Gill Scott Heron, and he was here, reminding us that the revolution will not be televised, an observation more prescient than we could have imagined at the time. From more recent times, Benjamin Zephania’s “Dis Policeman…” was as potent as ever, but inevitably scarcely does justice to his great range of talents.

Young female poets were well represented by Hollie McNish and Kate Tempest, the cerebral meets the visceral. Kate’s incendiary live performance style was well captured, Hollie’s insightful observations well made. Kate divides opinion, but her crowd pulling ability, passionate performance, and skill in connecting with a young audience are beyond dispute. Hollie McNish is very clever, she dances between urban chic, and Woman’s Hour, effortlessly, and with equal credibility, her presence on the programme was a delight.
hollie

The link with Rock is a fair one. I can’t think of a performance poet who would not love the adulation a rock star enjoys. Patti Smith was well chosen from the New York CBGBs scene, a woman whose words came to prominence as a rock star, not a poetry star. In another programme it would be wonderful to explore the lyrics of some of some of the great contemporary pop lyricists like Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, Neil Tennant, Damon Albarn and Neil Hanon and assess their poetry.

My list of omissions will be as long as anyone’s, but that is beside the point. RR&R provided a cogent, cohesive and credible review of Performance Poetry to date. In an age where John Cooper Clarke is now more famous for his Coast poem than Beasley Street, and Simon Armitage can go on a poetry busk across the Pennines, just maybe this programme can open the door for a host of worthy, interesting performers who could illuminate and entertain in their own right. Claire Leavey did an excellent job with this programme, let’s hope she is funded to “go again”.

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The Glenn Miller Story – Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on October 16, 2015 by garylongden

Glen sarah raith
Glen Miller is a name that resonates amongst the second world war time generation. His music has endured to delight the generations that have followed.

Born in 1904, Miller was an American big band musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known big bands. Miller’s recordings include “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, and “A String of Pearls”. Very popular in Great Britain, his link with our country was immortalised when he departed from RAF Twinwood Farm near Clapham, Bedford for France to entertain U.S. troops, but disappeared, presumed dead, in bad weather over the English Channel.

Theatre impresario Bill Kenwright is a shrewd judge of what is popular and what stories and performers will pull in the crowds. Glen Miller and his music is a safe bet for those of a certain age, but billing Tommy Steele as the lead, a man twice the age Miller was when he died, was a risk. Steele’s love of Miller and his music was a driving factor in his casting, but would it work? Particularly when Miller’s finest work is instrumental.
glen

Director Bob Thompson sidesteps the age issue by using Steele to mainly narrate Miller’s story, which amounts to little more than stage directions to enable the next big band number as we are treated to a well selected slice of the Miller musical catalogue. He also re-imagines some scenes as Miller. Steele sings solo on “The Nearness of You” and duets with Miller’s wife-to-be Helen , energetically played by Sarah Soetaert on “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart”. Soetaert is 50 years Steele’s junior, I half expected him to break into a rendition of “Some Guys Have All the Luck” ! The 16-piece onstage orchestra are terrific, the choreography snappy, delivered by a six-strong chorus whose tap dancing delighted an appreciative audience.

Flared forties skirts swirled and twired with the girls, Zoe Nicole Adkin, Siohban Diffen and Jessica Allen a visual and technical delight. Tap dancing is a lesser displayed skill in contemporary shows. Steele wisely left it to the youngsters, who excelled.

Steele transcends popular music culture like no-other, apart from Sir Cliff Richard. The affection Steele feels for performing and his audience was palpable, as was the affection returned on a very well attended Monday opening night. A fifties rock and roller, he has appeared in musicals pretty much non-stop since, with that energy always present in this lively show which runs till Saturday 24th October.

Gary Longden

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Midlands Poetry Choice – October 2015

Posted on October 16, 2015 by garylongden

For several years I produced a monthly poetry listing for the Midlands. It started out as a dozen or so events, then ballooned into upwards of two hundred in festival season, all with organisers, venue and admission details, and times, all of which also were subject to change! It became an unmanageable beast, so I let it go.

However I have been flattered by the number of people who still nag at me to resurrect it. So, I have decided to reboot the idea, but this time confining it to events that have caught my eye, instead of trying to offer a comprehensive coverage. This has the benefit of making it shorter, more accurate, and more reflective of the best.
The following offers a guide to what remains of October, and some advance notice of what lies beyond:

Friday 16th October, Christine Whittemore, poet and author, is launching her award-winning, first novel ‘Inscription’ at The Suffolk Anthology, Cheltenham, from 7pm. ‘Inscription’ tells the intertwining stories of two women living two thousand years apart, and it has won the Eludia Award in USA.
It would be helpful for the bookshop to have an idea of numbers, but don’t let that stop you turning up on impulse!

Oct 20th, Ashmole room, Guildhall, Lichfield, 7.45pm Ben Macnair workshop on the poetry of the macabre. Lichfield Poets Meet

Tue 20th Oct, 10.30am-12noon, Staveley Library, Poetry and Song with Sally Goldsmith.Tea and cake. All welcome. FREE event. For more information and to book a place ring Staveley Library on 01246 472448.

Wed 21st Oct, 7.30-8.45pm, Made in Derbyshire: Derbyshire Poets Laureate at Buxton Library. A unique opportunity to hear laureates Helen Mort, Matt Black, River Wolton and Cathy Grindrod reading their poems. This event will include readings from a new posthumous collection of poems by Ann Atkinson, Derbyshire Poet Laureate 2009-11. FREE event. For more information and to book a place ring Buxton Library on 01629 533460.

Thursday 22nd October, Anna Saunders is launching her new collection ‘Kissing the She Bear’ – a new title from Wild Conversations Press. 7pm at Copa, Cheltenham
Entrance to the event is free and all guests will be offered a glass of wine and truffles. The event also includes an open mic section. Please come and share your work inspired by fantasy and myth.

Friday 23rd October, Ross Cogan’s verse play for voices ‘In Agincourt Field’ will be performed at The Playhouse, Cheltenham7.30 pm. tickets £6

Tues Oct 27th Buxton Word Wizard Poetry Slams at The Buckingham Hotel, Buxton, 7:30pm on the last Tuesday of every month. Entry is £2.50. More info – Rob at poetryslamUK@aol.com

Tuesday, October 27, Purple Penumbra,at 7:30pm – 10:30pm,The Barlow Theatre
B69 4 Oldbury, Sandwell, United Kingdom

Wed 29th Oct “42″ Open Mic Night (Gothic, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy) Lunar Bar, New St Worcester, 7.30, Free in:Glen James hosts.last wed monthly E-mail: 42openmicnight@42genrearts.co.​uk

Nov 3rd Ashmole room, Guildhall, Lichfield, 7.45pm , PAUL FRANCIS – READINGS + EXERCISES BASED ON HIS BOOK ”WRITING FOR BLOCKHEADS” WITH EMPHASIS ON THE ”WRITING BETTER POEMS” SECTION. Lichfield Poets Meet

Nov 5th Rosie Shepherd, Shrewsbury. Milk St. 7.30pm

Friday 6 November – 6pm to 8.30pm – attend the festival opening reception to celebrate Templar’s 10th birthday. This will include 2 short readings of new work by Paul Maddern and Jane Weir. There may be an opportunity for a short reading from A Place of Wonder too. (Alison to arrange for stanza name badges and supply Alex with a list of Derbyshire tourism and literature local authority contacts to invite to promote A Place of Wonder to). Let Alison Riley know if you are coming along to this reception.

Saturday 7 November – Meet at 1pm in the Archive Room to finalise the performance and seating arrangements. Our reading is 2pm to 3pm. (Alison to make reserved for reader notices so we can sit together).

Please let Alison know if you are attending this and which poem you are intending to read and how long it takes for you to introduce it and read it out.
Sunday 8 November – We are reading again at 12 noon, in the Archive Room, in a session with poets reading their poems from the festival workshops.

Tue 10 Nov – Writers in the Bath, Sheffield. Readers: Cora Greenhill, Linda Goulden, Barbara Jagger, Alison Riley, Nick Read. The Bath Hotel, 66 Victoria Street, Sheffield S3 7QL. 7.30pm start. £4 on door. Please let Cora Greenhill know if you are attending this cora@thirteenthmoon.co.uk

Derbyshire Stanza 2015/2016 meeting dates (second Sundays):

December 13 Sunday – Holbrook (famous for framed knitting) venue to be confirmed.

January 10, February 14, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12, July 17 (third Sunday), August 14, September 11, October 9, November ? DPF, December 11.

Wed Nov 4th Spire Writes at the White Swan, Chesterfield First Wednesday of the month, open mic slots, (opposite The Crooked Spire), 7.45pm. For more details visit the Spire Writes Facebook page.

Nov 10th Writers in the Bath, Sheffield Second Tuesday of the month, readers and open mic, The Bath Hotel, 66 Victoria Street, Sheffield S3 7QL. 7.30pm start. £4 on door. cora@thirteenthmoon.co.uk

Wednesday, November 11, Deb Alma Launch,at 7:30pm – 9:30pm,Wenlock Pottery
TF13 6HT, Old Chapel House, Sheinton St, Much Wenlock TF13 6HT Telford,Wenlock Books, Deborah Alma and other poets, will be celebrating the publications of Deb’s 2 new books, with readings from ‘The Emergency Poet, an anti-stress anthology’ and from her own poetry collection ‘True Tales of the Countryside’. At cosy Wenlock Pottery, with its roaring fire and well-stocked bar…

Nov 17th Ashmole room, Guildhall, Lichfield, 7.45pm EXPLORING NEW WORK BROUGHT ALONG BY MEMBERS Lichfield Poets Meet

20th November Burton Spoken Worlds, Old Cottage Tavern, Byrkley St, Burton

Sunday 22nd November from 2-4pm I’ll be hosting an Open Poetry Reading at the new café in Walsall Arboretum. This intended to be the launch of an ongoing programme of such events to happen during 2016. Some of these events will feature Guest and Special Guest readers and some, like this, will be Open Poetry Readings,.

The Open Poetry reading is the chance for anyone who writes poetry to come and share their work with fellow poets and with the public. It will be an informal, friendly affair, with as much emphasis on good conversation and socialising as on the writing. It will be a chance for experienced and less experienced poets to listen to and share each others’ work, ideas, and enthusiasm for poetry. And it will all take place in the up-market, brand-news café in the midst of the beauty that is Walsall Arboretum. The food and drink at the café is quite exceptional too!

The event on 22nd November will start promptly at 2pm, and each poet will have up to a maximum of five minutes reading time. Readings will be in short blocks to allow for plenty conversation, comment and socialising.

As I say, anyone who write poetry is welcome to come along and read. All I ask is that you let me know via this email address if you intend to come, so that I have an idea of numbers.

I do hope that, if you’re free, you’ll be able to come and support this new venture. And please do share this email with other poets that you know and urge them to come too.

Finally, I’ll be in touch fairly soon with news of the first Guest Readers Poetry Event which will be taking place in mid-January.

Thank you and very best wishes

David

Writer in Residence, Caldmore Community Garden

http://regionalvoicetheatre.com/

http://naturalhistoriesblog.com

http://davidcalcutt.com/about/

Dec 1st Poetry Alight, Kings Head, Lichfield , 7.30pm POETRY ALIGHT. GUESTS – NEW STAFFS YOUNG POET LAUREATE + SEAN COLETTI + JO BELL.

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Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders – Burton, Brewhouse, 11/10/15

Posted on October 14, 2015 by garylongden

Burton awaits

Burton awaits


I first encountered Andy Fairweather Low when I was ten, watching top of the pops, and singing along to “If Paradise is Half as Nice”. Forty seven years later I managed to see him live for the first time.
Andy cutting loose

Andy cutting loose

AFL broke at the apogee of pop, the late sixties, when the cultural winds coalesced to create the perfect storm of musical talent. Music is no better, or worse, than it was then, the landscape within which it operates now though is unrecognisable.

Pop music was focussed on three things. Radio 1 , Top of the Pops, and live venues at affordable prices. Radio 1 was listened to by every teenager, the bastard love child of pirate radio and radio Luxembourg who had latched onto the emerging phenomena as interest and ratings for pop music exploded. The Light station was never going to be enough. The Sunday countdown to discover the new number one was nothing short of essential listening, with a microphone from your reel to reel tape player, or later your cassette, placed next to the radio so you could record it.

Top of the Pops was watched weekly by all teenagers , once again it was essential viewing, and the only topic of conversation on the way to school on the Friday morning. What records you bought on Saturday morning at your local Boots or Harlequin were determined by what you heard on the Radio 1 playlist or who had appeared on Top of the Pops. Combine that with basic four track, then eight track recording facilities for musicians which needed simple songs, and you had a discipline and framework which all artists need. Leap over to America where commercial radio ruled, and the demand was for three minute songs, and the alchemy was complete for a new form that in the late sixties was barely ten years old, replete with potential and possibility.

AFL with Amen Corner was a perfect fit for the era. His songs’ melodies were catchy, the lyrics wry and memorable, and his good looks and long hair made him adored by the girls. His big hit, which endures to this day, was “If Paradise is Half as Nice”. Using the bold device of starting with the chorus, it captures a simple idea and musical motif and bleeds it dry, wrenching everything out .Of course he played it tonight, and finished with it, still with brass, but with an elegiac tinge to it – we are all a little closer to paradise than we were 48 years ago!

Looking fit and dapper, but with less hair, Andy was keen to impress that the night was about the band, the Low Riders, with which he was merely the singer. The Low Riders’ credentials are impressive. Paul Beavis on drums, Dave Bronze, bass and vocals, and Nick Pentelow on Sax have played with a panoramic pantheon of rock, pop and blues artistes, Andy himself regularly rubbing shoulders with Clapton, Roger Waters, Daltrey and Dylan. And what struck me immediately was that they were playing because they like it, and wanted to share their music, not because they needed another payday ( which I suspect was modest).

Of course things have moved on since when I saw my first gig 39 years ago. At the interval Jane and I settled for a tea, rather than four pints, and the rush towards the stage as the set drew to a close was not one of crazed fans seeking to fling themselves onstage, just of those needing the toilet.

The set list was accessible, impossibly eclectic, embracing many diverse styles and genres, and a delight. Of course we enjoyed all the Amen Corner hits, faithfully played, not carelessly thrown away . “Wide Eyed” was delivered hymn like, reflective, as though a grandfather was recounting his misspent youth, with a smile. A surprise inclusion “because we can” was Dave Barber’s “Petite Fleur” from 1959 which showcased Pentelow’s sublime woodwind talents. A playful romp towards the end of standards like Route 66 and Apache was lapped up by an adoring, appreciative audience.

A wonderful show, majestically played which combined musicianship of the highest order with heart and humility. What a night!

Andy now

Andy now


Andy then

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Hound of the Baskervilles – Coming to the Lichfield Garrick on Friday 17th/Sat 18th October 2015

Posted on October 11, 2015 by garylongden

Hound 2

The latest production from the Fired Up Theatre company, who have produced a string of recent successes including productions of The Wall, Quadrophenia ,and The Fell Walker ,is Hound of the Baskervilles. Deep in darkest Dartmoor, stands Baskerville Hall, a grisly ‘Usher-esque’ house of secrets and spooky goings-on with a cellar full of mayhem and murder and outside, beyond its grounds, the village of Grimpon, encounters eerie, cacophonic howling, repeatedly filling the Devonshire night air. Can the World’s greatest detective Mr Sherlock Holmes unravel the clues to a series of satanic deaths?

Join Holmes, Dr Watson, and Mrs Hudson gather at Baskerville Hall as the events unfold. Fired Up Theatre, the Staffordshire based risk taking ensemble, return to the Lichfield Garrick Studio with two nights of theatre for Sherlock Holmes aficionados. This new script written by Mal Dewhirst and Simon Quinn, will include shadow theatre, projections and original music to complement the live action.

I caught up with co -writer Mal Dewhirst for an exclusive insight into the production:

Q. This seems a departure from previous productions, what drew you to this story?

I would like to think that all Fired Up Theatre’s productions are a departure to what we have done before. I guess with this production, the fact that it is a well-known story that has been covered before especially in the medium of film, drew my fellow writer and director, Simon Quinn, to try and do something different with the story but at the same time being true to Conan Doyle’s original intent.

Q. What appeals to you about the original author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?

Firstly his characters, they have a rich depth that often is only hinted and therefore allows us to explore those depths in our own interpretation. Secondly his plots, often riddled with miss-direction but delivered in plain sight, that whilst Holmes unravels and reveals the motives, they are there for the reader to piece together.

Q. The story was originally written in serialised form in London magazine The Strand, how difficult was it to bring it to the stage?

How do you deliver the Hound to the stage without having a violent rabid dog live on stage? We chose to use shadow theatre, which filmed and will show as projections. Some of these are delivered as tongue in cheek representations which have some elements of humour within them. Shadow theatre is a new departure for us and to a certain extent an experiment, from which we learnt a lot that we can improve upon in the future.

Q. Originally written in 1902, over a century ago, what is the enduring appeal of the story? How well has it survived the past century?

It has survived the past century really well, partly because of the many filmed versions that keep it in the consciousness of audiences.

This is mainly due to the great detective Sherlock Holmes, he is one of Britain’s endearing detectives, a genius character that is often brusque and aloof but also with his own flaws, an odd sort of hero but a hero never-the-less. Characters such as Jonathan Creek and Doc Martin have the same sort of traits.

The plots of the Hound of the Baskervilles are still valid today, they do not use technology or beliefs that would age it, delivering it as 21st century piece would build on what was already written, it therefore provides for a wonderful canvas for a new production.

Can I just add that our version is set in the age of the book, late Victorian/Edwardian.

Q. In 1999, it was listed as the top Holmes novel, why do you think that was?

It is the prefect Sherlock Holmes story, it has the elements of myth and legend, the suggestion of the supernatural which engages the reader with a murder mystery involving a devilish hound that takes place in a dark unforgiving landscape, it takes Holmes and Watson out of their beloved Baker St home to mix with an odd collection of characters, all of whom are a potential suspect, all who have some sadness and mirth.

Q. The original book has five plots, how have you managed to condense that for stage?

There are still five plots but at least one has been changed, not just to help with the staging but also to fit with other aspects of the characters that have also been changed. Simon and I like to add our own mark on our productions, there seems no point in just repeating what has been done before.

Besides at least one of the films changed the same plot point from the book, we have created our own new plot for this point, but our plot theme does have a slight link to a Conan Doyle short story of 1891.

I will say no more.

Q. There have been numerous film and television adaptations. Have any particularly inspired this adaptation?

Simon and I have watched numerous filmed versions over the past few months, but we are always drawn back to the version with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson, an absolutely wonderful film, I like to think that we have captured the spirit of this film in our production.

Q. Traditionally your acting talent has been community based, where is the cast for this production drawn from? Are there any new faces?

Fired Up Theatre remains committed to taking the best from the acting talent in the community and providing opportunities for them to develop as actors into their full potential, to the point where they can consider moving on to bigger stages if they so wish. We have an excellent cast most of which have appeared in our productions such as “At the Crossroads” and The Fell Walker.

We also work with professional actors and performing arts students, integrating them into the company.

This productions sees us working with Michael Lieber, an excellent stage professional, who mainly works in London. We are also working with excellent local professional actor Anthony Webster, whose previous stage performances have been countrywide, we first worked with Anthony in “At the Crossroads”, when he appeared in filmed role.

We also have two students from Staffordshire University Performing Arts, with Zara Lane and Lee Fisher. The University students also supported the production through the shadow theatre, which was filmed in the colleges TV studio.

Q. Co-writing a play seems fraught with conflict. How have co-writer Simon Quinn and yourself divided the process? Are you still talking?!

I must admit I have struggled to work in collaboration in the past.However since Simon and I first collaborated on The Wall, we have developed a reputation for risk taking, we have always worked very well together, we have very similar methods of working and easily spark ideas off each other.

We have built up a trust in each other and are excited by the opportunity to experiment and devise new productions. Simon is an excellent writer, I just wish I could act half as well as he can.

Q. Do you have plans to tackle any other stories from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? What plans do you have for your next production?

We have no plans to tackle any of the other Conan Doyle stories, but never say never, however we are talking to a venue about performing the Hound of the Baskervilles as an outdoor production next year.

We also continue to tour with our production of The Fell Walker, our next performance is at the Heron Theatre in Beetham, Cumbria in December, with further performances in Cumbria under discussion for next spring.

We are also in discussion regarding a new production for the Garrick Studio next May, which will be a very hard hitting contemporary play where we journey into a world of oppression, physical abuse, fear, faith, hope and love.

The Hound of the Baskervilles plays at the Lichfield Garrick Studio on 16th /17th October 2015, with tickets priced at £15 (£10 students). Tickets for the Saturday are almost sold out, pre-booking recommended and available from the website:

http://www.fireduptheatre.co.uk/

hound

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