I was rather hoping Darren might do a review of Thursday evening - to my mind, the best evening we've had for a long, long time. The mix of poets was just right - the serious, the hilarious, the dry, the disgustingly crude...
The mix was electric and the list of poets wasn't so long that you couldn't also socialise in the interval.
I loved Nat Clare's compering skills - he seemed to do it effortlessly and was so entertaining. To me, it seemed that there was an incredible amount of talent showcased all on night. Evenings like that are quite rare.

Thanks to John Togher for organising it. Only he could recite a poem about child abuse and raise a laugh - quite a skill he has there...
I could go on but unfortanately should be somewhere else - very soon. I hope others can step in to fill the blanks.

Isobel x

I was thinking of going to this but chickened out as the day wore on (mainly cos I knew I was going to be taken out for early birthday drinks last night and probably wouldn't survive 2 nights out on the trot)Wish I had gone to the Tudor instead as I have the hangover from hell still eating the backs of my eyes right now!
I will attempt next month's I think!

You should, Rachel.
I've only been once as it's a bit out of my way but I was working over there.
They made me very welcome (for a Yorkshireman) - well, at least till I started with the poems!
No honestly, it's a good night and very friendly.

2 comments from people who didn't attend and none from those who did...
Perhaps it wasn't as good as I thought it was - maybe it was all the gin I drank LOL!!!

I hope you do make it next time Rachel and it would be good to see you again some time John.

xx

It was brilliant, but it's hard keeping up with everything going on on WOL, Izz. Agree with you about Nat - very good compere. Best yet, which is not to criticise anyone else - all have been good.
Hope you can make it Rachel and John. If you're very lucky you'll get to meet Isobel's mum who is worth the trip!

Looks like this was posted about 2 a.m. - hope you got a lie-in

Thank you Dave - yes my mum is pretty special - an amazing woman and truly wonderful role model!
Am glad someone commented. Would you believe that in all the time I've been on WOL, this is the very first discussion thread i have ever initiated; you feel such a prat if no-one adds to it!

It was a fabulous night at tudor the best entertainment and all free what more can you say,funny reflective thoughtful the best.
My daughter came along (who is not into poetry)but enjoyed the evening totally.
Looking forward to next month be there not to be missed!!!

Hi everyone,
Just to say I thoroughly enjoyed last Thursday at the Tudor,as did my niece who came along;was impressed,and is going to try to make it every month now.

As usual,some brilliant stuff was read out,and it was probably worth the trip to hear Julian Jordan's ode to rhubarb again!,along with Alan Gray's cheese-lover's poem.

The Tudor is like a tonic,and should be on prescription!

Good stuff all round!

Enjoyed the whole evening. In particular the poem about contrasting news. Also Isobel's Tudoresque poem and Allan's cheesy (in the right way) poem.

Thanks so much, Isobel, Chris and Dave for your kind and generous comments. I thought the night was great fun. Thanks also to the poets who shared their words and the audience who hung on to them all. See you soon. Nat x

I probably shouldn't post the following comment on this thread but don't want to start another off just to slag off a venue...
I went to Preston Wordsoup last night - I really wouldn't recommend it. Despite arriving on time and having travelled some distance, I was told the list was closed. The venue seems to split its time between music and poetry - the same mediocre guitarist being given 4 lengthy spots. The room was large and very, very cold. The compare was more of an 'announcer' with no attempt at interaction with the audience.
The highlight of the evening was meeting Rachel McGladdery, (a delightful and talented poet on here) her partner Chris and friend. They were lovely company - without them I might well have slit my wrists. Thank you also to Rachel for surrendering one of her spots so that my sister was allowed to read a poem. I do hope they will make it to the Tudor one day to see just how it should be done.
Arriving home more deflated than usual (I so love to strut my stuff) - I was greeted by my youngest who projectile vomited over me, the bed and most of the house...twas like a scene from the exorcist. Henceforth I will always associate Preston Wordsoup with puke...

One last PS...

Nat Clare was a brilliant compere - he just disappointed me in one department.

Past comperes have been known to drop their kecks on stage. I feel this is a great way of breaking down social barriers and reaching out to non poets and poets alike. Perhaps we should consider making it part of the job description...

Hmmmm - what happens when I press this button here...?

Well I must add my two pennorth. It was a superb night - who put the "ural" in Nat? - and well worth the entry fee.
By the way, it is not free of charge, it is just taking us a long time to get your invoices out.
I was with some friends and one of them is going to 'come out' as a poet next month. Brave soul!
Well done, John.
And thanks, Isobel, for geeing us along to get a review up.

Oh Isobel, I am sorry it was sooo poo. It is usually lively, inviting and fun though I wholeheartedly agree with you on the music. I can remember some of the night through the red wine fug and sincerely feel very angry that I'd invited you in the first place and then you didn't even get to read (though Eleanor was great)it was lovely to meet you and your sisters. If you ever decide to try Wordsoup again I'll hit anyone with a stick (a big one)who tries to stop you performing. For one thing, I think it'd have done the regular audience good to see someone really strutting their stuff (me included) as I am such a novice at this whole lark. I will come to the Tudor (hopefully next time) and you can show me how it's meant to be done.... I hope you're no longer knee deep in sick and please don't associate me with puke!

You are making me feel guilty now for opening my big fat whinging mouth...what an ungracious guest I must seem!
It's just that going to a venue where I can't perform is like going to a wedding in a wedding dress, to find the groom has done a runner - such a let down...

No Rachel - I would never associate you with puke!

Miss Haversham will shut up now and maybe start cleaning up some of those cobwebs...

I don't think you were whinging in the least. I would have felt exactly the same, except I would have sulked openly and you didn't! You have every right in the world to be peed off, it was a dire night saved only by meeting you and your sisters and the panty raid by the rival poetry group which gave me a giggle or two....

Yes I enjoyed the knicker raid also. I also enjoyed the moment when the leader of it was almost dragged off the stage by the compere - cos I'm mean like that.
His rather tedious poem had dragged on for over the allotted 5 minutes. The 5 foot nothing lady compere was not prepared to give him one second over. For one brief moment I saw a more interesting side to her - the tight fisted iron maiden...thinking about it...that's certainly the way she ran the performance list...
Should I mention the young writer reading excerpts from his book about anal sex?
It started off incredibly funny but turned into gruesome as the ins and outs of it all were well and truly turned over. Perhaps that is the effect he wanted. Perhaps that is true to life. That is one chesnut I am not about to crack...

Gotta agree with you all about last Thursdays Tudor.. Twas a great night, well compered by Nat who seemed to know each poet individually {goodness known how, my guess is he was well primed by Paul!} Well attended by an eclectic set of poets who gelled together to provide an excellent evenings entertainment.
I also agree with Isobel on the other venue we attended.... apart from meeting Rachael which is always great to meet another WOL member, I was frozen to the bone,not allowed to read, made to listen to loads of mediocre music all of the same ilk,and treated to a long and detailed account of anal sex which turned my stomach. The sublime and ridiculous comes to mind.
Cate xx

Forgot to mention that the Wordsoup was also celebrating the release of some Arty type magazine called Preston is my Paris, in which Louise Fazakerly and Rachel McGladdery have both been published.

Both ladies gave stonking performances on the night. Rachel - I never would have guessed you are a novice and I doubt that there is anything I could teach you.

xx

The Preston Poetry Soup sounds like a brilliant night and I can’t believe that there was only a severe bout of lethargy and 50 miles worth of driving preventing me from attending this event.

However, once bitten - twice shite. I’ve made many mistakes over the last few years, but none more gargantuan than those involving untried or untested events that advertise their wares as ‘an evening of music and poetry’.

Poetry is nearly always the arse-end of the pantomime horse, a horse that gallops and trots its way through the muses - especially where and when ‘music’ is sitting in the saddle.

I used to get quite annoyed at particular North West events, those events where ‘musicians’ swan into the room like Roman Emperors or a clumsy ‘wannabe rock star’. Some even appear genuinely quite humble - usually these are the ones who you find it difficult to throw furniture at or snipe about - the rest are what remains of a deluded adolescent and time spent singing into full-length mirrors or toothless hairbrushes.

There are few events these days that are focused primarily on poetry, as it seems a general concession is to try and inflate an audience numbers at events by allowing musicians to ‘have a slot’ and vice-versa - or even worse - allow people to sing! THIS IS WRONG! Not because they’re musicians or singers - but because they take far too long.

There is an uneven balance between the two. Poetry nights are poetry nights. Music nights are music nights. Music AND poetry nights are exactly that - but with music gobbling up every last lump of sugar into a slobbering long-face and its flappy-lipped mouth. There are exceptions of course. The Howcroft in Bolton occasionally has the odd musician, even odder singers, not to mention sandwiches and convivial conversations during the fight for the door when the poetry finishes. Middleton has a few vocalists at random events…and the Tudor at Wigan. This is the Goldilocks syndrome of a mix of poets and singer/musicians. Any singer/musician not worth their weight in crisps are booed off by a chorus of hand-driers in the Gent's toilet.

I’m not too sure - just what IS the argument about the mention of anal sex? Ok, so it’s not a conversation I would strike up with, say, my Mother - or the local Vicar, but if a person is going to spend an evening in Preston or its environs - then it’s safe to assume that there will be at least one reference or implication to the concept of ‘anal’.

When are the vegetables being chopped for the next Poetry Soup? If anything is worth tasting - it’s worth tasting with a sense of low expectation.

i agree the tudor was a cracking night last week. made me remember why i first started going. it's relaxed and irreverant and i like how poets of all abilities can show their stuff and it just works.

i too went to word soup on tuesday. things i liked- the size and look of the room- posh, arty, good stage, nice seating arrangements, able to go to the bar without that much disruption, i quite liked the mix of poetry, prose, script, blog and music- although i agree that lad with guitar came on too many times.

it was interesting to see the room seemed full of women and there were loads of pensioners and quite a few under 25s. the tudor is mostly middle-aged men as a rule. it was good to perform to different sort of audience.

things i would improve- they need a proper compere. jenn was lovely if strict but i think the job calls for a bit more oooomph. and i definately agree the open mic spec should be a bit more free and easy- although i liked the militance of the three minutes. the renegade fylde poets made me laugh "come to our night instead and you're guaranteed a spot" promised their leader- bit like an american tv preacher. too much lsd in the 60s perhaps?

oh and it was FREEEEEEEZING. i nearly burned my bodyweight in calories chaffing at me arms. crikey!

A room full of women, pensioners and under 25's - the only thing missing - carrots - lots and lots of carrots...