The Kingfisher, Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on May 1, 2014 by garylongden

kingfisher
This was a left-field choice by Sutton Arts, a seldom performed piece written over a quarter of a century ago. Author William Douglas Home’s lineage is as the maverick brother of Tory PM Sir Alec . He lived in the rarefied world of the English upper class ( although a Scot) all his life, and although written in 1977, The Kingfisher owes its feel to the drawing room and parlours of the early 20th century. During the Second World War he was court –martialled, and imprisoned, for failing to obey orders, post war, he became a hugely successful playwright with numerous West End successes.

A three hander, the action revolves around two aristocrats, Cecil and Evelyn, whose youthful love had never been rewarded with marriage, and Cecil’s butler, Hawkins. Cecil and Evelyn have continued to hold feelings for each other through all the years. Now widowed will she marry him? Is love lovelier, the second time around?

This is a slight, feather-light, gentle piece, offering gentle humour, gentle manners and gentle characters in a carefully crafted, wry, bitter-sweet comedy. The pastimes of the idle rich, golf and bridge, preoccupy their minds, but the humour endures, and survives for a contemporary audience. The scene in which the amorous couple get down for some passion, but are less able to get up, is the comic set-piece which has the audience guffawing with laughter.

Director Mavis Atkinson places the proceedings in its time , with a single set, in the garden of a country house ,and deftly manages a convincing cast who are all of the age of their characters. Her success is in producing characters rather than the characterisations which might have appeared. Philandering novelist Cecil is played with some swagger by David Bligh whose blunderbuss approach to his love life has unsurprisingly fallen short. Myra Mitchell’s interpretation of Evelyn is of a coy and elegant woman, somewhat sharper, and certainly wiser than Cecil. Rob Alexander is a delight as the unctuous and deferential butler Hawkins, with an intriguing veiled sub-plot as to whether his closeness with his employer might go beyond what his contract requires.

Augmenting the comedy is plenty of old age reflection. Can you make up for mistakes of the past? Can a leopard ever change its spots? Neither Cecil nor Evelyn are virtuous , maybe Evelyn is just as amoral as Cecil, just a bit smarter at it? Although in the autumn of their lives, spring beckons, and the cuckoo calls . As for The Kingfisher, which one of them is it?

The Kingfisher runs until the 10th May.

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Midlands Poetry What’s On May 2014

Posted on April 29, 2014 by garylongden

A mad month packed full of great poetry with the festival season in full swing. Local events are equally strong too with Poetry Alight in Lichfield playing on Tuesday 13th May with Jean Atkins and Tony Stringfellow. If all the festival events were counted individually, we would have over 200 events in 30 days!

Festivals

Sat 26th Apr Stratford upon Avon Literary Festival -until 4/5:

http://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/

6th May-11th May Chipping Campden Lit Festival

http://www.campdenlitfest.co.uk/contentok.php?id=88

sat 3rd-5th May Shrewsbury Bookfest

http://www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk/#/whats-on/4559069123

1st-14th May Swindon Festival of Literature including youth and adult poetry slams

http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/whats-on/swindon-festival-of-literature-2014-p509473

17th May-24th Nailsworth Festival inc Poetry Slam

Home

22nd May- 26th Audlem Festival, Cheshire including Poetry Slam on the opening night

http://www.audlemfestival.com/

22nd May -1st June Hay Festival

http://www.hayfestival.com/portal/index.aspx?skinid=1&localesetting=en-GB

Leek Arts Festival May30

Home 2

Day by day

Thurs 1st Poetry Jam, Urban Coffee Company, Church St, Birmingham City Centre, 7pm, free

Come jam with an open community of creative minds for yet another Poetry Jam!!!

FREE ENTRY starting promptly at 7pm to fit as many performers in as possible (advised to come early as seats have proven to fill up fairly quickly).

OPEN MIC, sign up on arrival we welcome poetry, spoken word, rap etc.

If you have a spare moment and want to help us keep these events as good as they can be, please give us some feedback: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5WVZ5FT

For more info please email info@beatfreeks.com

Look forward to seeing many of you there,
Spread the word!

#TeamBeatfreeks

Thurs 1st Shrewsbury Coffee House Poetry, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, 7.30pm, With Liz Lefroy ,An open mic with special guest appearance – author Peter Wright – all the way from bonnie Scotland! Peter is author of three books about the Watershed of Scotland, including ‘Ribbon of Wildness’ Friends of the Ribbon of Wildness Open Mic slots – Peter Shilston Lucy Aphramor Ted Eames Stuart Favill Paul Francis

This is an extra-special evening as we’ll be moving our regular first Thursday poetry evenings to a new venue on 5th June. We LOVE the Shrewsbury Coffeehouse, and Jessicah Kendrick and all her staff have been wonderful and kind, but the poetry events, which started over two years ago as small gatherings in the basement, have got bigger and bigger, and we all need to be able to get close enough to hear the words. So I’m especially looking forward to this one, and I might even cry a bit, especially if Evie Donnelly and / or Keaton Kendrick are on shift. But, we will return for special events, I hope.

Sun 4th Buzzwords, Leckhampton,Cheltenham First Sunday (ex August) 1900- 2200 Exmouth Arms in Leckhampton, Cheltenham, £5in. Worksop 7pm-9pm. Open Mic and guest poet after Charles Bennett

Sun 4th Kiddi Creatives Poetry Slam, Boars Head, Kiderminster. 7.30pm:

Admission £3 (free to performers)

To find out more, read Fergus McGonigal’s interview with himself:

Q. What on earth is a poetry slam?
A. It’s a wild and euphoric poetry event – for people who wouldn’t normally do anything involving the word “poetry” (and also for people who would) and we’re having one in Kidderminster on Sunday May 4th at The Boar’s Head.

Q. How does this unlikely marriage of “poetry” and “wild euphoria” happen?
A. You have a dozen or so poets all competing to be the Slam Champion while the audience cheer, stamp their feet, whoop, holler, clap, and generally make a highly-charged atmosphere (but, you know, not while the poets are speaking).

Q. Sounds very combative – do the poets fight?
A. Er, no, they don’t fight; watching poets fight is a bit like watching Pete Docherty playing tennis: ridiculous, amusing in its own way, but they all have to have a bit of a sit down after about 30 seconds and everyone goes home feeling a bit useless. I imagine.

Q. So, what do the poets do then, if not hand-to-hand combat?
A. Each poet has 3 minutes to recite or read a poem which s/he has written. They are then given a score by some randomly selected audience members (who have no connection to any of the poets) and the best five scoring poets go through to a second round.

Q. How do you score a poet?
A. On three things: (i) the quality of the writing; (ii) the quality of the performing; and (iii) the “warmth” of the audience reaction.

Q. The warmth of the audience reaction?
A. The audience are the most important feature of any slam: they create the atmosphere with all their noise-making; the louder the audience are in response to a poet, the higher the marks for the warmth of the audience reaction.

Q. What happens to the poets who don’t make it to the next round?
A. They then become part of the audience. In our slam, they’ll all receive a poetry book for their efforts (albeit a second-hand one). After the first round, there is an interval.

Q. And the five poets who do make it through to the second round: what do they do next – same poem, different poem, a game of tennis, what?
A. After the interval, they each have another 3 minutes to read/recite a different poem. They’re scored again and the highest two go through to a final.

Q. What happened to those poets who don’t make it through to the final?
A. They become part of the audience. In our slam, though, they’ll receive a poetry book (shiny and new).

Q. I’m guessing that the final is another 3 minutes each with the highest scoring poet emerging as Kidderminster Creatives Slam Champion?
A. That’s right. The Runner-up will get a hardback poetry book and a free Mouth and Music badge while the winner will receive the much sought-after bespoke Kidderminster Creatives Slam Champion Trophy, made by our very own Coz. Oh, yes, and £50.

Q. 50 quid!? Can I enter?
A. The slam is open to anyone who has ever written a poem and would like to take part. The poem doesn’t have to be 3 minutes – it can be shorter. It doesn’t have to be learned by heart; it may be read. The poem can be serious, funny, fast, slow, rhyming, non-rhyming: anything, so long as it’s original. Anyone who wants to enter can email me at fergusthepoet@gmail.com. Several places have already been taken, but there are plenty still left. Places in the slam will be given on a first-come/first served basis.

Q. Is that it then?
A. Pretty much. Slams are fast and furious and seem to be over before they’ve begun. They are always great fun. They’re raucous, exciting affairs and may just change your attitude towards poetry (even if you’re already a fan, and definitely if you’re not), so do give it a try – you won’t be disappointed.

Mon 5th Gorilla slam, Delaneys bar, 17 Cemetery rd Sheffield, S11 8FJ 7.30pm start, with William blake and Addie Abbot

Tues 6th Open mic, The Sitting Room,3 Upper Galdeford (above Thai Box), SY8 1QD Ludlow, 7.30pm.

Join us again in The Sitting Room for an evening of poetry and revelry in very soft sofas.
Your compere for the evening, will be James Sheard if he’ll agree to it…

Tues 6th Word ,Y Theatre, East Street, Leicester LE1 6EY, just opposite Leicester Train Station7pm performers, 8pm, Audience, Open mic plus headliner.
WORD! is the longest running poetry and spoken word night in Leicester. Based at The Y Theatre, Leicester, it takes place on the first Tuesday of every month, between 8.00 and 10.30pm. The evening is composed of an open mic, followed by a booked act-

WORD!…With Panya Banjoko
Supported by Liz Gray
The Y Theatre, 7 East Street, Leicester
8pm (performers 7pm)
£3/£4

In May we warmly welcome Panya Banjoko – supported by Liz Gray…

About Panya:

Panya the Poet is a spoken word artist and writer. Her work has been described as ‘hip hop energy with plenty of shrewd words’. She has been artist in resident at the International School, Stuttgart Germany, the National Trust’s 100 verses and at Achimota Preparatory School, Ghana. She was one of the Poet Coaches for Shake the Dust and has won the Black Women in the Arts award for Outstanding Achievement.

Her first published work Brain Drain was published in IC3 – An Anthology of New Black Writing In Britain, Penguin (2000). Since then her work has been published in a number of anthologies including, the University of Nottingham’s From the Aether and Out of Bounds, Bloodaxe Press. She has also published two early year’s books – Bibi’s Museum Adventure and Hari at the Castle.

She has worked extensively with museums as a freelance creative writer and has managed a number of projects including SANKOFA, in partnership with Wedgwood. She regularly writes creative packs to accompany Museum’s Community Loans Boxes and recently published No Tears For Me My Mother about WWII Ex-servicemen. In-between working as a writer she hosts a talk show on a digital radio station.

About Liz:

Liz Gray wrote her first poem at the age of eight, but didn’t start performing until her first visit to Word! Since then she has written a number of ‘landmark’ poems including ‘The Ballad of the Bowstring Bridge’, ‘Richard III’ (does what it says on the tin) and a protest against the Bedroom Tax called ‘There’s a War on’. She has headlined at Pinggk!, performed at De Montfort Hall and at the Donkey for International Women’s Day. The photo shows her performing a poem specially written for Sing for Water at Bede Island Park Festival in 2013.

**********

If you would like to share work as part of the event, arrive for 7pm and sign up with this month’s compere – Mombowie Starchild!

*********

http://www.wordpoetry.eu/

Wed 7th Spire Writes, White Swan, Chesterfield, 7.30pm free in.
We’re back in May with another great line up of open mic and guest readings.

Kate Fox is a Northern stand up poet, writer and BBC Radio 4 regular. She’s been Poet in Residence for the Great North Run and the Glastonbury Festival and originally trained as a radio journalist, working in Yorkshire and the North East. She has toured comedy shows all over the country and now she’s coming to the town of the Crooked Spire to share her work with us.

As usual, short open mic slots (one poem each) will be available to sign up for in advance or on the night.

Our venue is a short walk from Chesterfield train station (opposite the famous spire – you can’t miss it), It’s free to get in and the bar is stocked with local ale.

We’ll finish in time for the last train back to Sheffield.

Wed 7th Olivers Bar,36 Belle Vue Terrace, WR14 4PZ Malvern, Worcestershire

You are cordially invited to ConFab Cabaret VIII with MC Dizraeli, no less! A fabulous spoken word artist, you may also have come across him in festival fields with his merry troupe of musicians The Small Gods. If you haven’t, look him/them up and either way COME TO CONFAB CABARET!

There will also be delightful entertainment from Catherine Crosswell who is very likely to sing, Amy Rainbow – Writer who isn’t, an audience poem lovingly sellotaped together by Myfanwy Fox, some tip top prizes in The Silliest Raffle, Portuguese poetry, and MORE.

Sign up on arrival if you want your own Two Minute Talent slot in Prepare to Share (poetry, music, comedy, dance, mime, whatever) and PLEASE tell your friends.

FREE entry, well stocked bar and red walls. Lovely.

Wed 7th Earlsdon Poetry Festival, Kendall’s of Earlsdon Delicatessen
54 Earlsdon Street , Earlsdon, CV5 6EJ Coventry, United Kingdom. 8pm, open mic, with Barry Patterson.

Thurs 8th sound of the 60’s Open Mic, Tipton Library, 7-9pm, £3 in advance

Thurs 8thPUREandGOODandRIGHT is an Open Mic poetry event taking place at
The Fox,32 Clarendon Ave, Leamington spa, CV32 4RZ,Every second THURSDAY of the month (except December) 7.30 p.m start
You can book an Open mic slot on the night!This month’s guest is the fantastic… Paul Canon Harris . Paul Canon Harris is a writer and poet, based in Bournemouth,who regularly performs his poetry at arts venues, festivals and special events in the UK and abroad. His first collection of poems, Best Before, was published by Creative Media Publishing in 2012.
Early this year, he enjoyed an 8 week run as a contributor on the Anneka Rice and Richard Allinson weekend shows on BBC Radio 2. Soon, Paul will be taking his People Watching People-Watching show around the UK, so catch him performing his poetry at PureandGoodandRight open mic while you can!

Admission £3 (£2 Student/OAP)

From time to time we are located upstairs, so please let us know if you require disabled access before the event.
If you would like to know more about the night email: pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Thurs 8th Cafe Ort, moseley rd, Birmingham,7pm free

Welcome to the third chapter of The Book Club, brought to you by The Blogatory and Shaki Women in the Community.

This chapter we have Womanly Words – a celebration of the works of women in poetry channelled through three incredibly talented poets and spoken word artists:

Nafeesa Hamid

Jasmine Gardosi

Phillip Simpson a.k.a U Needza Barber

We also have Open Mic slots available for those who have inspirational, wise, funny; lighthearted or emotional words about women (but you don’t have to be a woman to be an open mic-er). To claim a slot just send us an email – hello@theblogatory.com and we’ll pop you on the list.

This is a free event but still book a space with us so we have numbers via Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-book-club-presents-womanly-words-featuring-spoken-word-artistspoets-tickets-11414941397?aff=es2&rank=1

Poetry is an expression and a version of storytelling, stories are what define us as people as we listen and tell stories all over the world. The magic of any great story is that it is recycled and translated into every language… a bit like love. Everyone has a story, most of them are unheard, especially for women all over the world. This is a chance for everyone to come along, grab a drink, a comfy seat and just relax whilst being treated to stories translated through poetry.

Please note: This is a free event however we welcome donations for our Books for Schools Fund that provide schools around the Midlands with books about strong and influential women. In April we raised £100, so we would love to keep it up. Thank you.

Thurs 8th attila the Stcokbroker, katie Fitzgeralds,
187 Enville Sstreet, DY8 3TB Stourbridge, 7.30pm.

The Clash meets Hilaire Belloc! High energy performance poet and songwriter Attila the Stockbroker did his first gig at Bush Fair Playbarn in Harlow on 8 Sept 1980 supporting The De-Fex, The Condemmed (yes, 2 ‘m’s) and The Unborn Dead.

Since then he’s done about 3000 more in 24 countries – at venues ranging from the Glastonbury Festival (every year since 1983) and countless other music and literature festivals in the UK, Europe, America, Canada and Australia to freezing punk squats in Germany to Eton and the Oxford Union and a hotel basement in Stalinist Albania.

He’s released 7 books of poems and over 20 CDs/LPs, formerly with people like Unwins, Bloodaxe and Cherry Red Records, latterly via his own global cottage industry, Roundhead. (No cavalier attitudes!)

Utterly self-motivated. He’s sometimes on the radio. And all over the internet. He’s loud, radical, lyrical, reflective, will make you roar with laughter as well as seethe with anger and 2010 saw his 30th anniversary tour. Mellowing out? Bollocks.

Attila loves Wales, has done loads of gigs there, and was one of the first people to organise gigs in England for Welsh language punk pioneers Anhrefn and Datblygu in the mid 80s.

He has just published his 7th book of poems, ‘UK Gin Dependence Party and Other Poems’ (January 2013)

‘Whether he’s ranting a poem or bashing out a song, there is something magnificent about Attila in full flight’ (Ian McMillan, BBC Radio 4)

http://www.attilathestockbroker.com/

Thurs 8th Speakeasy, old rectifying house,

North Parade, WR1 3NN Worcester, Worcestershire 7.30pm.

In May “Worcester SpeakEasy” at:

****THE OLD RECIFYING HOUSE****

Worcester, at 7.30 pm, on Thursday, May 8th … all invited.

“Worcester SpeakEasy” is a monthly event of poetry and prose from the page and the stage (and a little music now and then), which takes place on the second Thursday of each month. The event promotes, showcases and encourages writers from the whole of Worcestershire and further afield; there is an invited headline poet each month. If you’d like to book a slot for June, please email Maggie and Fergus at speakeasy.litfest@gmail.com, or leave a message on our Facebook page.

May’s running order will soon be shown below, if you haven’t got a slot and would like to take part then four, two-minute open mic slots will be available on the night: whether you are a seasoned performer or a complete novice – we want to hear from you!

The event is brought to you by your very own Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe, via Poet Laureate Emeritus Maggie Doyle and the incorrigible Fergus McGonigal, SpeakEasy’s host and MC.

Doors open at 7:00pm for a prompt 7:30pm start; we aim to be finished by about 9.45pm.

Thurs 8th Grizzly Pear, Bristol rd, selly oak,7.30pm

Writers’ Bloc’s much-loved, raucous performance night is back. There will be open mic slots for Writers’ Bloc members and the general public, available on the door so turn up early to guarantee a slot.

We are also pleased to announce that our Grizzly Pear headliner will be the lyrical genius DIZRAELI.

Rapper, writer, poet and singer, Dizraeli is a hip hop tour de force. Taking in politics, love, rain, supermarkets, grief, drug culture and masculinity with a sense of humour and directness that can make you wince, Dizraeli is the BBC Radio 4 Poetry Slam winner, the 2006/7 Farrago UK Slam Poetry Champion. He has also authored 3 hiphop plays, one of which (The Rebel Cell, co-written with Baba Brinkman) won Spirit Of The Fringe award and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival, two years running.

Check him out at http://www.dizraeli.com/

Where? Bristol Pear Pub, Bristol Road, Selly Oak
When? 7:30pm (Doors open at 7pm)
Price? £3 Members £5 Non-members

sat 10th John Clare readings in Northampton,Starts at All Saints’ church at 10 am and finishes at 3.30 pm – the Church, the Museum, the Guildhall, the Library, and more. Featuring the folk group Pennyless.

Tues 13th Poetry Alight, kings head, bird st, lichfield, 7.30pm,free in open mic plus jean Atkins, Tony Stringfellow and Phil Binding

Tues 13th Mouth and Music, Boars head, kidderminster, 7.30pm

Stand-up poet, the brilliant

JONNY FLUFFYPUNK
“Acute social observation, intricate humour, surreal fantasy”

plus

FOUR TART HARMONY
Cracking 4-part womanly group with lush harmonies

MC Heather Wastie

Open mic sign-up on the night from 7.30 (5 minutes or 2 songs)

Admission £3 (free to performers)

Tues 13thCity Voices, Second Tuesday 19:30 the Lych Gate Tavern, 44 Queens Square Wolverhamtpton, it’s down the walkway by Barclays bank the leads to the Civic Centre with Simon Fletcher, set bill. £2.50 entry, featuring new work by…..Simon Fletcher!

Thur 15th Alice oswald. Birmingham uni,Arts Building (R16 on campus map) – Lecture Room 7,17:15-18:45
Creative Minds at Birmingham’, the School of EDACS Writers & Artists Distinguished Speaker Series, continues on May 15 when Alice Oswald will read from her work.

Alice’s second collection, Dart, won the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2002. Her third collection, Woods etc, was a Poetry Book Society Choice and was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection and the T. S. Eliot Prize. A Sleepwalk on the Severn appeared in 2009, as did Weeds and Wild Flowers, her collaboration with the artist Jessica Greenman.

Last year Alice became the first poet to win the Warwick Prize for Writing with Memorial, a reworking of Homer’s Iliad.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet Alice during a complimentary drinks reception.

Tickets for this event are free for current University of Birmingham staff and students, £6 to the general public. Registration for this event is essential:
http://shop.bham.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&catid=61&prodid=840

fri 16th WordLife Poetry the shakespeare 146-148 Gibraltar St, S3 8UB Sheffield

We’re back at The Shakespeare for another selection of the best in spoken word.

‘A Fantastically Entertaining Evening’ – The Yorkshire Post
‘One of the purveyors of the new literary night out’ – The Independent

The Shakespeare, 7:30pm
£5 Full/£3 Concessions

**SALENA GODDEN**

Salena Godden been described as ‘The doyenne of the spoken word scene’ (Ian McMillan, BBC Radio 3’s The Verb); ‘The Mae West madam of the salon’ (The Sunday Times) and as ‘everything the Daily Mail is terrified of’ (Kerrang! Magazine). Her most recent book of poems, Under the Pier, was published by Nasty Little Press in 2011. A new collection of poetry selected from 1994 – 2014 is out this summer with Burning Eye Books. She’s known as The General of The Book Club Boutique, London’s louchest literary salon, and as lead singer and lyricist of SaltPeter, alongside composer Peter Coyte. She appears on BBC radio as a guest on Woman’s Hour, Click, From Fact To Fiction, The Verb and as a resident poet on R4’s Saturday Live.

**GAV ROBERTS**

Gav Roberts is a force of nature, hes been performing across South Yorkshire for a couple of years but has made a huge impact, from his political pieces charting the struggle of an honest family on DSS to poems about the four sheet rizla boys you find in your kitchen after a house party. One of our favourite poets anywhere, we’re happy to bring him back for a featured slot at Word Life.

‘Impossible to dislike’ – Write Out Loud

**OPEN MIC**

This is for you, (yes you) to sign up for your own slot on the Word Life stage. Slots are limited to 5 minutes. Email wordlife@nowthenmagazine.com to book in, or post your name on the wall.

***NEXT WORD LIFE EVENT – 21st June Ft. JESS GREEN (Dear Mr.Gove Poem) and MATT ABBOTT (Skint and Demoralised) ***

Fri 16th notes from the underground, Hollybush PH, Cradley heath, 7.30pm, free in,Spoken Word & Music event featuring music from Bo Pilar and the Mountain Valley Boys and reading from “Portraits of Prose” the debut collection of stories by Andrew Owens.

Mon 19th Shindig, Western Ph, Western rd, leicester, 7.30pm, free in
Free and Open to all! Crystal Clear Creators and Nine Arches Press present Leicester Shindig! Open-Mic Poetry Evening, featuring guest poets Rennie Parker, Siobhan Logan, Emma Lee and Josh Ekroy. Sign up for open-mic slots on the door. All welcome!

Wed 21stFind the Right Words, The Cookie Jar,68 High Street, Basement, LE1 5YP Leicester,3rd wed, 7.30pm

Wed 21st unity in the community
Centre for Oneness, Great Western Street, Wednesbury, WS10 OAS, 7pm free in
Celebrating its 1st year anniversary. The theme is ‘One Love’ Singers and poets are welcome to share a song or poem to unite us all in the feeling of unity and love. FREE entry and complementary samosas.

Wed 21st ‘Funny Women’ at Bilston Library, Mount Pleasant, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV14 7LU, 5pm. Come along and enjoy a laughter-filled poetry reading with Jane Seabourne, Emma Purshouse and Win Saha. Free event.

Thurs 22nd Drummonds,28 New Street, WR5 1BU Worcester, Worcestershire, 7pm, free in

Black Pear Press presents the launch of “Portraits of Prose” the short story collection by Andrew Owens. The event will be hosted by Polly Robinson and will include readings by Andrew and performances by special guests.

Performers include:
Tim Cranmore
Maggie Doyle
Heather Wastie
Suz Winspear
Damon Lord
Michelle Crosbie
The Humdrum Express
Catherine Crosswell

Thurs 22nd Audlem Poetry Slam,Bridge Inn
12 Shropshire St, CW3 0DX Audlem, 8pm, free in

this will be the third year that we’ve done it. The winner of the slam will get £50. The slam will take place in The Bridge Inn, Audlem on the opening night of the festival Thursday 22nd May 2014 at 8pm.

It’ll be over 3 rounds/3 minutes per round.

Tues 27th Word Wizards New venue* Buckingham Hotel, opp the Pavillion Gdns , Buxton last Tuesday Monthly 19.30. Open mic three minute slam format More info Poetryslamuk@aol.com 01298 77362/ 0781 3289358

Tues 27th Poetry Bites, Kitchen garden cafe, york rd, kings heath, 7.30pm, £5 in, open mic plus headliner with jaqui Rowe

Wed 28th Purple Penumbra,Oldbury Rep Theatre,3 Spring Walk, B69 4SP Oldbury, Sandwell, United Kingdom,Everyone and anyone is welcome to attend, 7.50pm
and bring along a relative or bring along a friend
to hear the spoken word – oft times not heard before –
regaling love and nature and sealing wax and war.

If you’ve a mind to contribute, whether wench or feller,
to sing a song with your guitar or even a cappella
or read a little tale or poems while we drink a beer,
then please come and enjoy the feast of words we love to hear.

Wed 28th 42 at Drummonds, Worcester:Gothic, Horror, Sci-fi & Fantasy event “42 Worcester” last Wednesday of the month at Drummonds, Worcester 7pm for a 7:30pm start. MC Andrew Owens.

42 Worcester, the Worcestershire gothic, horror, sci-fi and fantasy event, returns on 30th April 2014. Held at Drummonds, The Swan with Two Nicks, 28 New Street, Worcester WR1 2DP on the final Wednesday of each month, 42 Worcester starts at 19:30. You can book a slot via the Facebook page: or email Andrew at andrew@42worcester.com

Wed 28th The Poetry Train* New Venue* the Lych Gate Tavern, 44 Queens Square Wolverhamtpton, it’s down the walkway by Barclays bank the leads to the Civic Centre. at 8pm, upstairs in their function room….It’s a great little pub last Wednesday ts@tonystringfellow.com

Thurs 29th Hit the Ode, Last Thursday 19:30 The Victoria 48 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN 3 featured acts + limited open mic bohdan@applesandsnakes.org

Sun 1st june Sunday Xpress Fourth Sunday Doors 1500, Start 16:30 Adam & Eve Bradford Street, Birmingham B12 0JD Open mic
jameskennedycentral@yahoo.co.uk

Thursday 12 June, at The Old Rectifying House, North Parade, Worcester WR1 3NN when Worcestershire Poet Laureate, Tim Cranmore, is joined by Polly Robinson and friends to celebrate the launch of his new book ‘Barred’ and Polly’s pamphlet ‘Chatterton’.

Posted in Midlands Poetry What's On | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wenlock Poetry Festival 2014

Posted on April 28, 2014 by garylongden

WPF

This was my third visit to the Wenlock Poetry Festival, and for the first time I stayed overnight locally to maximise my time. As always, a diverse, eclectic programme had been laid down by organiser Antonia Beck such that many are starting to come now not for specific events, but for the festival itself, confident in the event, surely a very good sign, and with good reason. For it is the sort of festival where you can turn up on your own and bump into friends, or simply make them.

Sadly I could not come up for Friday, which ,meant that I missed Luke Wright, and a triple bill of John Hegley, Emma Purshouse and Mia Cunningham all of whom attracted glowing reports upon my arrival on Saturday. Apart from some seasonal April showers on Saturday, the weather was kind, with the Poetree making a welcome return along with a few craft stalls at the Priory Hall which acts as a focal point for proceedings; an information point, a meeting place and somewhere to grab a cup of tea and cake.

With many of the performers well known to me I made a point of exploring the “undercard” at the festival, with great rewards. The idea of Desert Island Poems is a good one. Take the “Discs” format, replace discs with poems, enlist a good interviewer and an interesting poet, and you should be on to a winner. And so we were, but by an obtuse route.

Fiona Talkington

Fiona Talkington


I had heard of Frieda Hughes, and was aware of some of her poetry, but was wholly unaware of her lineage. Wenlock Pottery was packed to overflowing for her “Desert island” experience. Compere was Fiona Talkington, urbane doyenne of the chattering classes, and a BBC stalwart. A literature graduate, and a veteran of interviewing the likes of Simon Rattle and Jon Anderson, securing her services was quite a coup.

The opening was conventional enough, but enlivened by Hughes’ witty reflections on the desert island as concept rather than actuality, in a flourish her Bedalian schooling would have been proud of. Immediately two things were apparent, her beauty ,and intelligence. She had a presence and authority which commanded by consent and compelled the audience to listen and draw closer.

Frieda Hughes

Frieda Hughes

Other castaways at the series had selected some eight poems by the great and the good, but Frieda chose to read the first one without introduction. It was a fraught, taut, exploration of someone incapacitated by illness, and was warmly received. The author? Frieda Hughes, revealed as the daughter of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes to those of us who had not quite made the connection. And instead of reading other poems, either by herself or others, that was it, instead the discussion revolved around her, her poem “How it Began” and her debilitating ME, wholly eschewing the format. To close she read… another of her own poems, Book of Mirrors.

Lesser writers may rightly have been dismissed for self –promoting narcissism. But the intelligent questioning of Talkington brought out an engaging mix of the personal and poet in a riveting half an hour. Undoubtedly a major poetic force in her own right, I hope that next time she will be offered, and take, an hour long platform, and a much larger auditorium. Her performance was my poetry highlight of the year to date. Her books sold out for signing, some took to asking her to sign ticket stubs. I am the proud owner of a signed copy of “Waxworks”, I tried to impress her with my cool demeanour, but instead gave a good impression of a teenage girl meeting Harry Styles at a One Direction book signing.

The Pottery was also the venue for an intriguing double header between last year’s WPF Slam Winner Trevor Meaney from the North West and gymnast turned poet Sally Crabtree from the South West. I like performance. Too many poets spend too little time on presentation, convinced that their words will be enough, they rarely are.

Sally Crabtree

Sally Crabtree

Sally takes this principle and squeezes it some. In bright pink hair and wig she bounces around like an amphetamine crazed jack-in-the-box, offering sharp short poetry, sometimes accompanied by a music box, sometimes by a guitar, sometimes just spoken, interspersed with humour and warmth and enlivened by a poetry bingo session ( you will have to attend one of her shows to find out more). At the end of her set we were almost as exhausted as her, and she hadn’t had a chance to perform her cartwheels and splits because the audience was too large, a nice problem to have.

Trevor Meaney contemplates going grey

Trevor Meaney contemplates going grey


Trevor Meaney was the ideal foil to Sally. Taciturn, self effacing and wry, he performed in the tradition of regional compatriots John Cooper Clarke and Ben Mellor. His poem about a vacuum cleaner , complete with sound effects, did not suck, his piece on male hair colouring did not die. The slot was his prize for winning last year’s WPF Slam and represented a big step from the quick-fire slam to Festival circuit.

The evening offered two competing events at the Edge and Priory Hall, Utter Jazz setting Auden to music and the Slam. The Slam has, to me, been the beating heart of the festival, well attended and with strong performers, so the latter won out .

I love slams and I hate them ( to paraphrase Catullus). I like the format, discipline and edge which it forces the notoriously freeform laissez-faire poetry set into, but I hate the injustices it invariably metes out. Content is unpredictable at slams, not only do the organisers not know what is going to be read out, frequently the performers have not decided until the last minute either. Often humour dominates, but tonight the nine contenders were overwhelmingly serious. Young Shropshire poet Laureate Mia Farrington bravely mixed it with the adults, but her well-crafted teenage introspection did not travel to a broader constituency. Rob Stevens delivered what I thought was the performance of the night about the miners’ strike, but it failed to resonate with a young judging panel. Local “lad” Paul Francis made the second round with his satirical contemporary poems but fell just short of the final.

Oxfordian Tina Sederholm triumphed in the finals, although her opening, and best poem, about the traumas of a newborn child being pronounced “ a poet” probably won it for her from the first round. Her sparkling fresh verse and a striking red and white dress was a winning combination. First runner up was the veteran Lorna Meehan, separated from the winners’ rostrum by a Judgement of Solomon only. Third placed David Boyles failed only by performing his least strong poem when it mattered at the end.

Slam Winner Tina Sederholm

Slam Winner Tina Sederholm

The panel comprised last years’ winner Trevor Meaney, Jacob Sam le Rose, and influential poetry editor Jane Commane, master of ceremonies was the ubiquitous Spoz. Spoz rabble roused, comforted, entertained and kept things moving, proving once again, that he is one of the best around at the role, and his poem about the perils of failing to go to the toilet before embarking on a long journey n the M5 brought the house down. Once again the Slam represented a chance for those poets who would like to embark on the festival circuit to be heard, I do hope that the festival continues to buttress the prestige of the event.

Sunday lunchtime saw the last of the Poetry and Pint events at the George & Dragon PH. It was packed, as the previous sessions had been. Expertly curated by Mark Niel , they provide an opportunity for the poetry writing attendees of the festival to air their words to a knowledgeable and sympathetic audience. No-one outstayed their welcome, everyone was listened to and appreciated. The challenge for the organisers is how to meet demand, whilst retaining the intimacy of the occasion.

Founder Anna Dreda

Founder Anna Dreda

I would have liked to have seen the Nine Arches and Silhouette Press events later on together with Simon Armitage, but alas, time was against me. And that is the joy of Poetry Festivals, too much to do in too little time, but invariably it is the unexpected which is most to be savoured. It is a delight to see founder Ann Dreda’s work paying off and being continued by Antonia Beck, organiser,as the festival gains traction on the established circuit and it starts to evolve its own identity. Further acknowledgement should go to the army of volunteers who make the event possible. See you there in 2015.

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Midlands Poetry What’s On April 2014

Posted on April 28, 2014 by garylongden

Festival News

The big poetry festival is in Much Wenlock on 25th-27th April. Now an established event, highlights include Simon Armitage, John Hegley, Emma Purshouse, Sally Crabtree and Frieda Hughes. The slam on Saturday night is the traditional highlight. Nine Arches and Silhouette presses are hosting events, the former hosted by the ubiquitous Jo Bell, be there, I will!
http://www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org/

Day by day

Tues 1st The Y Theatre,7 East Street, LE1 6EY Leicester, United Kingdom. at 8:00pm – 10:30pm.You certainly won’t be a fool if you come down to The Y on 1st April for our Night of ‘The North’, with very special guests, Peter and Ann Sansom.Peter and Ann are co-directors of The Poetry Business, a poetry publisher and writer development agency and co-editors of The North magazine and Smith-Doorstop books. They are both highly regarded poets and performers of their work.Peter Sansom has published Writing Poems (Bloodaxe) and five collections with Carcanet, including a recent Selected Poems. He has been writer in residence with M&S, company poet with Prudential, and Fellow in Poetry at both Leeds and Manchester Universities. Ann Sansom is a poet, playwright and tutor. She has published six collections of poetry; had work published in several Forward/Faber anthologies, Russian Vogue and a range of other publications. She has also written and directed plays for stage and radio.Her two full-length poetry collections are published by Bloodaxe.We will be out to celebrate the achievements of The Poetry Business, of whom Peter and Ann are Directors, specifically though, ‘of The North’ magazine which they edit. ‘The North’ is one of the most prestigious poetry magazines in the UK and we and, as well as celebrating its success with Peter and Ann we have guest slots from Roy Marshall and Maria Taylor, both of whom have been published in ‘The North’.Compere on the night, Pam Thompson, has been published in there too.
WORD! is the longest-running spoken word, open mic night in the Midlands. Visuals and film are provided by our resident film-maker, Keith Allott, and music by The Y’s Martin Pole.Doors open at 8pm Sign up for the open-mic with compere, Pam at 7pm Entry £4/£3

Wed 2nd Mac, Birmingham, 6.30pm free, Following the great success of this type of event after its first outing at the Bedlam festival at the Birmingham Rep, we are repeating it at Mac. First half- readings of well known and loved poems for good times and bad. Readers will include Polly Wright, Mandy Ross, Laurence Inman, Terina Talbot, Jane Campion Hoye. Eugene Egan and Alison Belbin. Second half- open Mic. Bring along your favourite poems to share, either by you, or famous people!

Wed 2nd Spire Writes, white swan, Chesterfield, 7.30pm, free,
We’re back with another excellent poetic double bill in April, plus the usual open mic. This time our guests are John McCullough (all the way from Brighton) and Ben Wilkinson.

John McCullough’s first collection of poems The Frost Fairs (Salt) won the Polari First Book Prize for 2012. It was a Book of the Year for both The Independent and The Poetry School, and a summer read for The Observer. John lives in Hove, and teaches creative writing for the Open University and New Writing South. He has two cats, and a love of dictionaries, obscure words and punctuation marks.

Ben Wilkinson was born in Stafford in 1985 and lives in Sheffield. His pamphlet The Sparks was published in 2008 by tall-lighthouse, and his writing has been shortlisted for the Picador Poetry Prize, the Society of Authors’ Eric Gregory Award, and the Poetry Society’s Geoffrey Dearmer Prize. His poems have appeared in Poetry Review, the Guardian, The Spectator and, more recently, Liverpool Football Club Monthly. He works as a critic and editor, reviewing new poetry for the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement, and as an editor for the Poetry Archive.Open mic slots (one poem each) available on the night or sign up in advance.Free entry. Real ale. Real poetry. Etc etc.

Thurs 3rd Blackdrop,Top Dog Gourmet 53 Lenton Boulvard/ Church Street junction. Nottingham
8-10pm We hope you will be joining us for this, your next delicious helping of Blackdrop .We are featuring a dynamic woman comedienne/poet/storyteller/actor called ISHI KHAN-JACKSON. Plus the usual open mic and BIG VIBES.

Thurs 3rd The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,5 Castle Gates, SY1 2AE Shrewsbury,7.30pm Shropshire An evening of booked readings from Charles Wilkinson, Colin Sutherill, Bill Milner, Olli Jones, Jeff Phelps, Carol Forrester

Tues 8th City Voices Second Tuesday 19:30 the Lych Gate Tavern, 44 Queens Square Wolverhamtpton, it’s down the walkway by Barclays bank the leads to the Civic Centre with Simon Fletcher, set bill.

Tues 8th Mouth n Music, Boars Head, Kiddermisnstaer, 7.30pm.A duologue is a dialogue for 2 people. This will be the theme for April. Open mic performers are invited to pair up and snap up 10 MINUTE COLLABORATIVE SLOTS. Open slots can be booked from 7.30 on the night.

Our features are:

Writers DAVID CALCUTT and NADIA KINGSLEY who will present part of their piece Road Kill which tells of the secret lives of our native animals, from town to country where fact and myth may mingle.

As a complete contrast, featured band BLEEDING HEARTS will mix political ranting with up tempo melodies.

Sarah Tamar will be MC.

http://www.mouthandmusic.co.uk

Thurs 10th Pure and Good and Right,Fox and Vivian pub, Leamington Spa, 7.30pm

“This month’s guest is not one poet, but a whole collective.

Beatfreeks are arguably the UK’s most important youth poetry group.

Their regular Poetry Jam and Soul Sessions nights can see as many as 50 young poets and singers gathering to support one another and express their supreme talents.

If you ever lacked hope for humanity and thought our youth doomed, this night will restore faith in unforgettable ways.”

And finally, if you fancy a go at performing your own poetry/spoken word or even music, come along to The Fox And Vivian on Thursday, where an appreciative audience awaits!

Only £3 which goes towards the expenses of our fantastic guest headline act.

Thurs 10th ,Worcester SpeakEasy, The Old Rectifying House, North Parade, Worcester WR1 3 NN,In April “Worcester SpeakEasy” at:

****THE OLD RECIFYING HOUSE****

Worcester, at 7.30 pm, on Thursday, April 10th … all invited.

“Worcester SpeakEasy” is a monthly event of poetry and prose from the page and the stage (and a little music now and then), which takes place on the second Thursday of each month. The event promotes, showcases and encourages writers from the whole of Worcestershire and further afield; there is an invited headline poet each month. If you’d like to book a slot for April, please email Maggie and Fergus at speakeasy.litfest@gmail.com, or leave a message on our Facebook page.

May’s running order will soon be shown below, if you haven’t got a slot and would like to take part then four, two-minute open mic slots will be available on the night: whether you are a seasoned performer or a complete novice – we want to hear from you!

The event is brought to you by your very own Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe, via Poet Laureate Emeritus Maggie Doyle and the incorrigible Fergus McGonigal, SpeakEasy’s host and MC.

Doors open at 7:00pm for a prompt 7:30pm start; we aim to be finished by about 9.45pm.

1 Clive Dee

1st Open Mic

2 Heather Still

3 Leena Batchelor

2nd Open Mic

4 Andrew Owens

INTERVAL of 20 minutes

1 Timothy Stavert

3rd Open Mic

2 Kevin Brooke

3 Cass Osborn

4th Open Mic

4 Damon Lord

Ash Dickinson

fri 11th Poetry and Place, the Hive, Worcester, 7.30pm.

On April 11th there is the first of three poetry events happening at the Hive. The events are organised as a collaboration between the University of Worcester, Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Worcestershire Lit Fest and Fringe.

There will be four poets on the 11th, all for the amazing price of only £5 a ticket. The event starts at 7.30 pm and tickets can be purchased from the Hive. It is a great chance to see some brilliant regional poets read in Worcester.

‘Four poets with assured and distinctive voices for whom ‘place’ is not just the geographical or natural environments that inform the poems but also the human histories that unfold there, the people who are part of the landscape and part of the poem.’

Angela France
Martin Malone
David Caddy
Fiona Sampson

Tickets can be purchased in person from The Hive, Level 1 Information Desk or by phone from the University of Worcester Arena. The phone number for booking enquiries at the Arena is 01905 54 44 44. They can also be purchased from the Arena reception. Arena box office 9 am – 4.30

Tues 15th Lyric Lounge, The Curve, Rutland St Leicester, 7.30pm;
with compere Jess Green

Lyric Lounge, the East Midlands’ celebrated travelling spoken word festival, presents a jam-packed day of local and internationally renowned artists, live literature performances, music, film, masterclasses, open-mic sessions and family-friendly activities, for all ages to enjoy.

A range of new and classic books will be available to buy at The Bookshop Kibworth’s Pop-up Book Stall.

FREE ENTRY TO EVENTS UNTIL 7.45PM

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PROGRAMME HERE:

7.45PM

Cardboard Citizens presents

GLASSHOUSE

A Forum Theatre play by Kate Tempest
Directed by Adrian Jackson
Produced in association with Time Won’t Wait

Glasshouse is about family and how hard it can be to keep loving. Three interwoven stories take us into the lives of members of a single family – fragile as any of us, tested by the times in modern Britain, they struggle to stay together, fail to survive apart. Sown through with Kate Tempest’s haunting poetry, the play draws us into a dark and gritty city illuminated by moments of unexpected tenderness.

This is not theatre as you know it. Forum Theatre invites the audience to stop the action in the second part of the evening, and come on stage and rehearse alternative scenarios to lead to positive changes.
“Cardboard Citizens is a theatre company that must surely rank as being amongst the most genuinely life-changing in the UK” What’s On Stage

http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk

Tickets: £10 / Concessionary tickets available*
*Subject to eligibility & availability

BOOK TICKETS AT CURVE THEATRE BOX OFFICE:
Visit:
http://www.curveonline.co.uk/inside-out-festival-glasshouse/
Tel: 0116 242 3595

Join the Lyric Lounge mailing list to receive programme announcements at http://www.lyriclounge.co.uk
Follow us on twitter @lyric_lounge

Lyric Lounge is delivered by Writing East Midlands, the region’s writer development agency which is funded by Arts Council England. Lyric Lounge Leicester 2014 is presented in partnership with Curve Theatre as part of the Inside Out Festival.

hurs 17th Hit the Ode, the Victoria PH, Birmingham City Centre 7.30pm;
Hit the Ode is a spoken word poetry night which brings the most exciting poets from the region, the country, and the world to the heart of Birmingham. Each edition features three guest acts: one from the North West, one from elsewhere in the UK, and one international guest.

We have poems. Poems which crunch when you bite into them; poems you’ve been meaning to call for ages; poems buzzing like wires strung between pylons.

Good poems. Come and get them.

FEATURING:

SHANE KOYCZAN
Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics, Koyczan is truly an extraordinary talent that has blown the dust off of the designation “poet”. Engaging and authentic in attitude, Koyczan emerges in a new wave of 21st century poetry that dares to belong to the people and speak directly to them in their own voice.

JASMINE COORAY
Jasmine Ann Cooray is a poet and spoken word artist and workshop facilitator from London, of British and Sri Lankan heritage. She is known for vivid imagery, attention to detail and storytelling through personal experience. Jasmine has just returned from her stint as International Writer in Residence at The National University of Singapore.

JODI ANN BICKLEY
One of Brum’s best loved authors, poet and best-selling author of One Million Lovely Letters Jodi Ann Bickley returns to Hit the Ode for her very first full set. It’s high time: since her victory at the 2009 Roundhouse slam, Jodi has performed all over the UK, including festivals such as Bestival and Glastonbury. She was a speaker at TEDxBrum in 2013.

Tickets £5 (book ahead by clicking http://bit.ly/1psKcj3 or try your luck on the door)

Fri 18th Spoken Worlds , Old Cottage Tavern, Burton DE14 2EG, 7.30pm, free in, open mic with “three halves”. Hosted by Gary Carr, all welcome

Fri 25th Word up, York st bakery, Birmingham city Centre,
GUEST POET IAN BOWKETT- ianbowkett.bandcamp.com

Join us for a night of POETRY-MUSIC-SPOKEN WORD provided by the wonderfully talented inhabitants of Birmingham and beyond. We guarantee a night you’ll never forget. And did I mention it’s FREE? So come and enjoy yourself. I will also be celebrating my Birthday YAYAY I WILL BE GIVING OUT LOTS OF HUGS 😉

ONCE A MONTH ON A FRIDAY 6-30-9.00-WE SHARE THE FLOOR WITH EVERYONE, SO BRING YOU & YA LAVLY MATES ALONG XXXX

We’ll be Yorks Bakery Cafe

THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL VENUE WE USE XXX WICKED CAKES, COFFEE, FLATBREAD PIZZAS AWESOME STAFF & BRILLIANT ATMOSPHERE

fill your boots with poetry!

Fri 25th Wenlock Poetry Festival – Luke Wright,http://www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org

Sat 26th Wenlock Poetry Festival – Frieda Hughes, Sally Crabtree, Trevor Meaney http://www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org

sun 27th Wenlock Poetry Festival – Simon Armitage,http://www.wenlockpoetryfestival.org

Sun 27th Oct Sunday Xpress Fourth Sunday Doors 1500, Start 16:30 Adam & Eve Bradford Street, Birmingham B12 0JD Open mic
jameskennedycentral@yahoo.co.uk

Tues 29th Word Wizards New venue* Buckingham Hotel, opp the Pavillion Gdns , Buxton last Tuesday Monthly 19.30. Open mic three minute slam format More info Poetryslamuk@aol.com 01298 77362/ 0781 3289358

Wed 30th The Poetry Train* New Venue* the Lych Gate Tavern, 44 Queens Square Wolverhamtpton, it’s down the walkway by Barclays bank the leads to the Civic Centre. at 8pm, upstairs in their function room….It’s a great little pub last Wednesday ts@tonystringfellow.com

Wed 30th 42 at Drummonds, Worcester:Gothic, Horror, Sci-fi & Fantasy event “42 Worcester” last Wednesday of the month at Drummonds, Worcester 7pm for a 7:30pm start. MC Andrew Owens.

42 Worcester, the Worcestershire gothic, horror, sci-fi and fantasy event, returns on 30th April 2014. Held at Drummonds, The Swan with Two Nicks, 28 New Street, Worcester WR1 2DP on the final Wednesday of each month, 42 Worcester starts at 19:30. You can book a slot via the Facebook page: or email Andrew at andrew@42worcester.com

Confirmed performers include:

Polly Robinson
Sharon Carr
Suz Winspear
Andrew Owens
Nina Lewis
Ian Ward
Kevin Brooke
Andy Kirk
Leena Batchelor
Timothy Stavert
Georgie Bull
JD Grant
Michael R. Brush

Wed 30th Purple Penumbra,Oldbury Rep Theatre,3 Spring Walk, B69 4SP Oldbury, Sandwell, United Kingdom,Everyone and anyone is welcome to attend, 7.50pm
and bring along a relative or bring along a friend
to hear the spoken word – oft times not heard before –
regaling love and nature and sealing wax and war.

If you’ve a mind to contribute, whether wench or feller,
to sing a song with your guitar or even a cappella
or read a little tale or poems while we drink a beer,
then please come and enjoy the feast of words we love to hear.

*************************************************
If you need a theme… DECEPTION

For inspiration, should you need any…

1. A E Housman died on this day in 1936. A Shropshire Lad was one of the first poetry books I ever had, a gift from my mother.
2. On this day in 1945 Adolf Hitler ended his destructive life.
3. Operation Mincemeat was carried out in 1943 on this day.

*************************************************

We hope to see loads of people turn up, refreshed after the Easter break.
🙂
It’s in the Bar of The Barlow Theatre.
It’s free, and there’s drinkies available, naturally!

How to get there…
________________________________________
Bus services:
126 from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, ten minutes from the Navigation bus stop, and
120, Birmingham to Dudley just two minutes from Rhodia Works bus stop, Station Road, Langley.
________________________________________
Train services:
10 minute walk from Langley Green railway station.
________________________________________
Car:
Put B69 4SP in your satnav, or…
From the M5, Junction 2,
at the big island take the 4th exit onto the A4034 (Churchbridge)
take the first right at the traffic light (slip road) B4170, Park Street/Park Lane towards Langley
at the Langley Green island, keep left on B4182, Park Lane
take the first right into Whyley Walk.
The free car park is 60 metres on your left.
The Barlow Theatre, (or Oldbury Rep) is in front of you

Posted in Midlands Poetry What's On | Leave a comment

The Mousetrap, Garrick Theatre, Lichfield

Posted on April 14, 2014 by garylongden

mousetrap poster

This was part of a 60th anniversary tour, over 60 weeks, for a show still running in its home theatre of St Martins in London, coincidentally almost identical in capacity to the Garrick. The Mousetrap opened at The Ambassadors Theatre in 1952, with Richard Attenborough and his fellow film star wife, Sheila Sim, in the roles of Sgt.Trotter and Mollie Ralston, the Proprietor of Monkswell Manor. The rest is history.

The Agatha Christie penned plot has a group of people gathered in a country house cut off by the snow only to discover that there is a murderer in their midst. A talented cast is led by Jonathan Woolf as Sgt Trotter, with Hollyoaks’ Henry Luxemburg and Joanna Croll as the newlywed owners of the newly-converted hotel. Chris Gilling (ITV’s Law and Order, BBC1’s Silk) is the mysterious army retiree Major Metcalf, while Michael Fenner arrives as the foreign Mr Paravicini. Ryan Saunders entertains as the camp Christopher Wren. the grouchy old woman magistrate Mrs Boyle is gloriously grumpily played by Anne Kavanagh, Ellie Jacob is similarly truculent as Miss Casewell.
the mousetrap

Inevitably the question is how this play, now an institution for its record run, and as British as Buckingham Palace, stands up as a piece of drama? Is the myth greater than the reality? I am pleased to report that it does stand on its own two feet, and in some style. It is a formulaic Christie murder mystery, there are false leads, shocks, twists and turns, and some gentle humour, but it works. Few guess the perpetrator at the end, whose identity the cast still ask us, the audience, to keep secret in this multi media age. Although the “Whodunnit ?” is of its time on the stage, the genre is still popular, now popularised to inject periodic drama into television soap operas.

Director Ian Watt-Smith keep proceedings moving briskly whilst the set oozes period charm. Drama and plays can be tough sells at the theatre box office and it is to the Garricks’ credit that it has taken the show for a week. The full house and memorable production fully vindicate the original confidence shown. The Mousetrap runs till Saturday 19th April.

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The Buzzcocks, The Robin 2, Bilston

Posted on April 11, 2014 by garylongden

IMAG0298

This was the third time I had seen the Buzzcocks. Previous shows had been at Leeds University in 1978, in their heyday, supported by John Cooper Clarke, and in 1994 at the Market Tavern in Kidderminster, a low rent occasion as they attempted to revive their fortunes. For 2014 the Robin in Bilston was a good choice, a 700 capacity purpose designed hall with a proper stage and plenty of bars. Black Country folk know their music and around 400 turned up to see the veterans of Punk once more.

Unknown support band featuring celebrity look a likes

Unknown support band featuring celebrity look a likes

A workmanlike support band failed to announce themselves properly, so I have no idea who they were. But the guitarist looked like Johnny Marr, lead vocalist and guitarist like Ashley from Coronation St, and the bass player resembled golfer Lee Westwood. Imagine what would happen if the three of them got together with a mate playing drums, and you have an idea of what it was like.

These days the Buzzcocks are Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle with Steve Farrant and Chris Remmington on drums and bass respectively. Diggle looked in remarkably good shape, and as ever, was the rabble rousing showman. Shelley, by contrast is now a diminutive, rotund, Papa Smurf look a like with full grey beard. The opening Boredom, once a teenage crie de couer, now teeters dangerously on the ennui of late middle age, with Shelley taciturn and withdrawn, but as the show progressed he relaxed, and the set picked up. If you are a Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd fan, live shows can be high risk, a song you don’t like could last 20 minutes. With he Buzzcocks you are never more than three minutes away from the next one, and they zipped through a lengthy set with style and brio.

The sound was not fantastic, Shelley’s voice was mixed too low, Diggle’s guitar was sometimes barely identifiable and the drums sounded harsh, but that was par for the course with punk gigs anyway. Yes they encored with Ever Fallen in Love, amongst the most perfect pop singles, but eschewed Fast Cars. in an era when original line ups have disappeared in favour of tribute bands it was good to see the Shelley/ Dingle nexus out and enjoying themselves again.

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The Quiet Compere, MAC, Birmingham

Posted on March 24, 2014 by garylongden

IMAG0269

Those involved in performing poetry, and attending such events, invariably demonstrate qualities which make them a joy to be involved with. The Quiet Compere roadshow exemplified this, poet and troubadour Sarah L Dixon has a mission to take poetry around the north ( Birmingham just crept in geographically) inviting a diverse roster of talent to play their words, and an audience to appreciate them. And so an eclectic mix of performers gathered in front of an audience rich in bonhomie, attentiveness and goodwill. The hall itself was nothing short of perfect, a mini amphitheatre with steep tiered seating, a projected backdrop, and excellent amplification and acoustics.

Sarah L Dixon

Sarah L Dixon

Sarah L Dixon lived up to her soubriquet, performing a handful of poems herself, one about frozen peas, and introducing the poets by name only, allowing the poets to reveal themselves in performance.

Ruth Stacey

Ruth Stacey


Ruth Stacey’s poems were layered, begging to be read again, the raw eroticism of her bear poem hidden by a fairytale like veneer.
Laura Yates

Laura Yates


Laura Yates’ past has involved supporting the poetry of others, now she is evolving into a fine performer herself having assimilated what works and what doesn’t from others. She recited just two pieces, the second, a tour de force about Birmingham which left us wanting so much more.
Sarah James

Sarah James


Sarah James is an accomplished published poet whose hallmark is economic language, beautifully crafted, skills apparent in her pieces about the weather and cafes.
Bobby Parker

Bobby Parker


Closing the first half was Bobby Parker, a poet rightly making waves on the circuit. His journeys into the dark side are in the traditions of Hunter S Thompson and Lou Reed with “Heroin Lullaby” his defining piece.
Charlie Jordan

Charlie Jordan

Opening the second half was Smooth FM Drive Time DJ Charlie Jordan, whose effortless poise is honed from years of effort and whose relationship poetry tugs at the heart.

Ian Bowkett

Ian Bowkett

Ian Bowkett is a young man with astounding talent, delivering witty, funny, sophisticated verse at jackhammer speed, sometimes whilst he completes a Rubic cube simultaneously!

Jenny Hope

Jenny Hope


Jenny Hope oozes bohemian allure and razor sharp lines, her Jalfrezi was tangy, her Merchant House a beautiful edifice.

Ddotti Bluebell performs from the heart, her authentic tales of Afro-Caribbean life wry, touching and joyful.

Ddotti Bluebell

Ddotti Bluebell


Boxer and poet Matt Man Windle closed the evening looking as physically lean as I have ever seen him, as was his poetry, sinewy, angular and effective, a knock-out.
Matt Man Windle

Matt Man Windle


Oh, and I did a slot too.
Gary Longden

Gary Longden

The entire evening was an unqualified success whose diversity of performer and performance was pretty much perfect, there was something for everyone, and an event certainly worth repeating.

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Steaming, Sutton Arts, Sutton Coldfield

Posted on March 20, 2014 by garylongden

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Laughter, pathos and bathos at the bathhouse.

Steaming was written in 1981 by Nell Dunn and was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Stratford, in London, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy . Sutton Arts publicity promised “ some nudity and strong language” , a device guaranteed to sell a few extra seats on a well attended opening night. By coincidence the theatre itself once housed Sutton Coldfield’s real baths- you can’t beat that for a sense of place!

Dunn presents six women meeting at a Turkish Baths in the east end of London. They comprise; the Baths attendant and de facto narrator , Violet (Sandra Haynes), a tart with a heart, Josie (Emily Armstrong), a batty old woman ( Denise Phillips) and her dependent daughter Dawn ( Elena Serafinas), a posh bird Nancy (Debbie Loweth) and her bohemian friend Jane (Pippa Zvinis). Bill the caretaker (Dave Douglas) is only occasionally seen and heard.

When it was written, Steaming was groundbreaking in two respects, an almost all female cast, and nudity, the latter pre-dating Calendar Girls. The nudity and bare flesh here is fleeting rather than bawdy, the language occasionally coarse, but always in context. Since it was first performed, the world of the modern woman has been explored by Shirley Valentine and the Vagina Monologues. “Girls night out” productions are much in vogue with numerous new productions too. So the play has a tougher task now than when it was first performed. However Steaming does offer insight into , and how, women were thinking a quarter of a century ago, embracing topics which endure- unhappy marriages, the responsibilities of motherhood, men and, of course, sex!

The single set comprises loungers and changing area ,with the baths and steam room themselves set offstage, a device which works well. John Islip and his team have created an authentic decrepit bathhouse complete with rusting radiator! Some cast members change with modesty and decorum, others are considerably less inhibited with an unexpected topless scene which brought howls of laughter from the audience. When I met director Claire Armstrong Mills she revealed that she had taken on the show not because of a life long love affair with the play, but because she thought she could do something with it. That pragmatic approach is vindicated. She eschews a nostalgia soundtrack for two whimsical Kirsty MacColl songs which, together with non-period dress, reinforces the production’s efforts to be contemporary .

Emily Armstrong shines as Josie – sexy, down on her luck, but with a defiant energy and optimism to burn. Funny, strident and vulnerable, she also delivers much more than a gorgeous figure. There is a moment in the first half when she is describing her struggle to survive, her voice dips and falters, and in that moment, she carries the entire audience with her. The danger in any production of Steaming is that the part of Josie flattens everyone else. But here Armstrong Mills cleverly develops the mother and daughter characters into a comedy duo to great effect. Denise Phillips is a delight as the grumpy old woman, but the best acting of the night in realising a tricky role comes from Elena Serafinas as the probably autistic daughter. Serefinas portrays her not so much as a down trodden victim, but as a character with more natural joie de vivre than any of the others, unsentimental, authentic and engaging.

Debbie Loweth neatly unfolds the repressed character of Nancy, at first the opposite of Josie, then discovering their similarities, whilst her friendship with Jane works as another convincing double act, Pippa Zvinis performing her underwritten part with gusto.

Sandra Haynes is the hub of the production as the Attendant , around which the dialogue and action rotates, and happily understates her performance whilst delivering the funniest line of the night. In response to Josies’ desire not to be remembered for simply being a “good shag”, she replies that some women can’t even manage that! There is very little action in this play. Only the Council’s proposal to shut the baths down offers any narrative progression. In the face of a fairly static setting , the cast approach the production with brio and enthusiasm, demonstrating obvious affection for the parts which they are playing, and enjoying doing so.

An appreciative audience basked in the glow of a cast which radiated warmth , and was tantalised by the aroma of a real Indian takeaway ordered onstage! A well staged revival, come and see this show in its run till Saturday 29th March.

Gary Longden

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Paul Bunyan, English Touring Opera, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on March 18, 2014 by garylongden

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This bold revival of a seldom performed and relatively obscure operetta was the second offering from the English National Opera during their stay in Wolverhampton, the safer “Magic Flute” having been well despatched the night before. Paul Bunyan, by Benjamin Britten, dates from 1941, when the then 27-year-old composer was still in his self-imposed American exile and was revised by Britten in 1976. The story is based on the folkloric American lumberjack, Paul Bunyan, with the music incorporating a variety of American styles, including folk songs, blues and hymns. Stylistically it has much more in common with contemporary Broadway musicals than traditional opera, those familiar with Kurt Weil and Rodgers and Hammerstein will find this easy listening.

Its unique feature is a libretto by poet WH Auden which is lyrical, awkward and silly , sometimes descending into doggerel, all at once. Some of the rhymes are so outrageous that you wonder whether Auden was joking with Britten . The men fell out after the project, and the satire on America in general was not popular at the time. The narrative has no dramatic pace and its allegorical style defies zip,the dramatic highlight is the resignation of the two chefs when asked to vary their bean heavy fare. However the music is a joy, and the episodic nature of the scenes offers much comedy and pathos for the actors to develop. The myth of Paul Bunyan, logger made good, epitome of the American dream, and “America is what you make it” feels clunky and clumsy, but the production succeeds on the soaring score and deft acting characterisations.

Paul Bunyan himself is the disembodied off stage voice of a recorded Damian Lewis, but it is the company which shines with numerous impressive acting and vocal cameos. Anna Fleischle’s single set is a large barn with weathered timber , tiered bunks along the side, and lumberjack paraphernalia scattered about imaginatively lit by Guy Hoare whose fondness for white light and lamps is starkly evident.This is an ensemble piece with an exuberant cast. The love-affair between Tiny (Caryl Hughes) and Slim (Ashley Catling) convinces and the cooks are a scream in a warm production of homespun charm.
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Tiny’s Act I song “Whether the sun shine upon children playing” is the undoubted musical highlight of the first half. Conductor Philip Sunderland , and his players, clearly enjoy making the most of an effervescent score awash with brio and light and Director Liam Steele ekes maximum dramatic effect from the numbers he neatly manoeuvres around stage.
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Paul Bunyan continues on tour with The Magic Flute till May.

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The Magic Flute, English Touring Opera, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on March 17, 2014 by garylongden

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This was the first night of an English Touring Opera double offering ,with Paul Bunyan to come on the following night. The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart set to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder but sung here in English as a singspiel, including both singing and spoken dialogue ,using Jeremy Sams’ English version of the libretto .The work premiered in 1791 in Vienna. Its survival and prospering over the proceeding 223 years is testament to its enduring qualities.

The story combines a fairy tale adventure as light and engaging as a Disney tale, with a darker underbelly, that ,in this production, is understated. Material and moral values clash and we are treated to a battle of the sexes 18th century style still recognisable today, but the racism, and Freemasonry power plays are less evident in Director Liam Steele’s production, increasing its accessiblity for a modern audience, but stripping it of some original intent. Villain Monostatos (Stuart Haycock) was dark faced, but his ethnicity was ambiguous.

Steele’s choreography skills are the hallmark of this production in which on stage movement ebbs and flows delightfully. An imaginative single set, on three tiers, courtesy of Chloe Lamford, impresses from the curtain up, as does the lavish costume which is classic rather than period specific. Doors and a video screen , animated by Matt Spencer, ensure that the limitations of the single set are more than compensated for, achieved in no small part by Guy Hoare’s white light lighting with lampshades!

Vocally the opera demands comic, and virtuoso, skills for the likes of Papageno, played by Wyn Pencarreg who steals the show , and the Queen of the Night, played by Laure Meloy. Meloy’s “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (“The vengeance of Hell boils in my heart”) reached an astonishingly high F6 with ease. Her first entrance is stunning with her voluminous silver-blue cloak filling the stage and gently fluttering during her aria.
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On stage chemistry is a difficult alchemy, but Nicholas Sharratt (Tamino) and Anna Patalong ( Pamina) achieved that, Sharratt’s melifluous tenor is warm, Patalong boils with sex appeal, and her Ach, ich fuhl’s was sublime. Evil sorcerer Sarastro(Andrew Slater) also delivers with his bass which includes a conspicuous F in a few locations. A modest, but strong orchestra was ably led by Michael Rosewell, although his accented tempi were occasonally excessive and the strings seemed underpowered for the grand moments.
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A tremendous production, Paul Bunyan plays on Tuesday 18th, then continues on tour nationwide till May, http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/the-magic-flute14

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