A lot of poets, some really good.

My personal favourites were Julian's surreal yet literal attack on those that control our purse strings, from mps to bankers....great word smithery.

Dave Carr's hilarious verse...diabolically funny :)

and

Joy's assasination of poets hehe.

I guess enveryone will have come away with differing favourites.

I heard quite a few people commenting on the general standard, and despite personally been knackered towards the end of the night...

I have to agree the standard seemed really high.

The compare did a very good job too.

P.S

Steve- thx the painting is great :)

Yes it was a great night, one of the best Ive attended at The Tudor. Isobel did a superb job as compere, and got funnier and more comfortable with the role as the evening wore on and her throat was lubricated constantly with copious amounts of gin to help her vocal chords perform to their maximum capacity! Her wedding dress had another outing after a twenty year lay off to start the second half in a most original way!!
The quality of poetry was incredibly high, with each artist contributing his/her own special talent to make the night a most enjoyable and memorable one.
The friendly welcoming atmosphere was condusive to welcoming newcomers and supportive of its long term members.
Great poetry. Great night. What more to say?
Cate xx

As I have already said in the meadow, the night was ab fab, especially the compering which was done with humour and efficiency; rare combination.
See galleries for picture of that dress. The problem with the night was that I took my camera but got too bound up in the acts to remember to take piccies. So there are but three.
Well done John, well done Isobel.

What a blast! You just had to be there...

Thanks for setting up a thread Chris - the night really deserved to be talked about. Thank you also for the lovely comments about my compering. Although I don't think I ever really lost the nerves, when you are among friends, nothing really matters. There couldn't be a better place to try it out than Wigan - they are a lovely crowd - just the right balance of irreverence and mischief!

The night was made special by the amazingly varied and talented selection of poets. I'd like to choose favourites but it would be too hard. I loved the balance of surreal, serious and comedy - there was something to please all.

We finished the night with an unknown (to us) poet called Gareth from Wales - though he didn't have a welsh accent... I'd just like to say that he was superb and that we all hope he comes back to visit us again.

Thanks for the photo Julian - it will be a special one for me. I exorcised more than one demon last night - the happy memories I now have will stay with me forever. x

It does seem unfair to pick people out from such a superb night, but - for me - from the first half Cate's Lancashire dialect poem, Gus's piece about his affair, and, above all, Louise's powerful 'Girl at the End' stood out.

The second half was a riot, with the mood set by Izz's wedding dress happening (so much more than just a poem). Joy's piece about how to be a performance poet was very very funny and well delivered. Dave Carr's light, well-directed humour and skilful use of words is always a pleasure to hear and Chris Yates was a scream. Her excuse was being put on near the end after an evening's drinking, but whatever the reason it was great entertainment.

Other poets definitely deserve a mention - the floor is open

Yes - what a great time.

21 poets making it a rollercoaster ride of an evening. From the deepest, most moving words to the frivolously funny. From the evocative to the hilariously irreverantly challenging. Sewn beautifully together by Isobel

Impossible to pick out my favourites because there were honestly too many!

I was at my most nervous ever. Firstly because I decided to "wing it" rather than sticking to a script but also because there was real possibility of causing offence to talented people who have been so lovely to me.

I should have known my poking fun would be received with warmth. Thanks all.

Really enjoyed Thurs just gone at The Tudor Wigan! Although my poetry appreciation antennae were receiving fuzzy information,(because of the amount of red wine Christine and I had drunk!),I distinctly remember Louise's brilliant "Girl at the end",and Joy's fab skit as being stand-out moments!Isobel did a great job as compere,and wearing the wedding dress of ill repute twenty years later added a fun,slightly bonkers twist to the evening! The poem itself was also very good!
Our friends from Argos loved the evening,(even though virgins to the poetry scene!)and Kath in particular loved Darren Thomas!(His poetry obviously!)
Here's to next month!

Thought I'd include the set list just to prove what a great crop we had. Just to correct you Dave - Gus's poem was about affairs in general, not any affair he might have had - as far as I was aware ;)

Though I don't like to choose, I have a great affection for the funny poets. They never stand a chance of winning a slam but they warm the night up and make the audience more receptive to the serious stuff, in my opinion.

I loved Pete Crompton's rant about his fumblings with bra straps - loved the black humour in Steve Pass's Jump, loved Dave Carr's hilarious rhyming poem, loved Chris's Pole dancing poem.
Joy's poem about performance poets stood out to me cos she used props and movement. We sometimes take ourselves too seriously and she certainly observed traits from all of us and made it so irreverent. The ability to laugh at yourself is a useful at the Tudor!
Loved Cate's witty poem about Uncle Ned - written in Lancashire dialect, it was very clever - that kind of writing is something I've lost touch with. Great to have it recorded - though a translator may be needed if she takes it beyond Wigan.
Have I missed anyone out? Oh yes - John Togher! He was totally on form - his dry humour, delivery and performance style could have leapt right out of Joy's poem...
On this particular night he didn't have his penis in anyone's ears, nor was he watching his sister self pleasure. His poem about students, their T shirts and their understanding of things spiritual was very amusing.

I think that's it from me. I'll let someone else talk about the serious poems - I'd had rather a lot gin to be thinking too deeply!

(first half)
Cate, Sandra Clays, Dave, John Clays, Johnboy Walton, Louise Fazakerly, Susie Mason, Steve Kenney, Gus, Julian, Pete Crompton.

(second half)
Isobel, Joy, Petrova, Richie Krigar, Chris Coe, Dave Morgan, Steve Pass, Dave Carr, Darren Thomas, John Togher, Chris Yates, Gareth

All our posts crossed! Just to say that there were 23 poets on the night - they just kept on slipping in...
Sorry if I seemed a bit harsh in not letting someone perform a third long one in the first half. I was a bit anxious about the numbers and the ability of the audience to sustain their appreciation. The Tudor never operates a closed list and I'm informed that it has no rules about how many poets a poet does - that is John Togher for you!

Make that 'poems a poet does' - though the same could apply... ;) x

loved it...loved it!!! what a fabulous night Isobel was funny, entertaining ,the poets were great as usual,I love to listen to all the poets ,the funny ,the serious and the surreal.The Tudor forever !!!!

Acutally Bonnie Tyler wasn't so drunk that she can't remember the last poem that Gareth performed. It was about the sea. A beautiful poem about the sea.

Drinking is a great way of relaxing the nerves but there is a cut off point where it can start to do more damage than good. Thankfully, being senior in age, I've managed to find it :)

I'd love to be able to welcome you on stage one day Steve. Don't bring any musical instruments with you though... xx

ps I might not have compered at all, had it not been for Chris Yates - she compered the month before and was so natural and relaxed, she inspired me to have a go.

Thank you Chris. xx

Yes i think we should have a Mr Black night at wigan, if youve come all this way its only fair.
But if you dont look like Al Pacino in the Godfather I am going home :)

Ha - I wouldn't worry too much about that Steve. Most people on here look nothing like their profile pictures. Photos are often at least 10 yrs out of date or not of poets at all. Be sure that you will welcomed, warts and all.

But if by chance you do look like Al Pacino, prepare to have me sitting on your lap all night :)) x

No Isobel, if ste looks like Al Pacino in the Godfather then we will be going home. together. not me and thee, me and ste.

In the words of Harry Burp: there is only one way to find out,

"FIGHT!"

we are known to fight at our poetry events Steve so be careful.

*thought i should clarify incase of offending:
1. the thought of me and Is. fighting over a man we have never met and never even seen a proper pic of is a bizarre one, and i was assuming that people are aware of Harry Hill's 'fight' scenario and find it as ridiculous and funny as i do

2. I dont like Al Pacino, not even in the Godfather. He is an overrated, shortarse little man with bouffant hair, cuban heels and a tendency to shout when any depth of emotion is required by his roles

3. poetry fighting in the North West is a new and growing sport, I would like to contribute but I only fight with men.

there we go the above should only offend Al Pacino and thats fine by me, maybe he will show up at wigan for a fight with me :)

Now there's a cue for a very surreal poem!

How do we define good looks? It's another of those subjective things Rachel. Perhaps we should set another thread up and argue till we are blue in the face and grey in the hair.

Often it has more to do with personality and charisma. In that Godfather role Al Pacino is a very strong assertive figure, which I always find attractive in a man - just so long as he doesn't over do it :)

Yes - I've encountered the Harry Burp character - my kids love it!

they do say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder', its just that some are beheld more than others.

psychologists have it all down to the symmetric nature of the face.That symmetry is pleasing to the eye. I always think I have discovered a new and rare beauty in the face of a geek but they always turn out to be rather popular. Im a sucker for anyone that can make me laugh .Although i did have a thing for darth vader as a kid, as I knew I would be his only one fan. all that authority, black cape wearing and heavy breathing...i usually fight with strong and assertive men for dominance and prefer the more submissive intellectual although being patronised to death by clever, arrogant men is no fun at all and theres nothing like the thrill of the fight and being told what to do. i just rarely find a man that dares take me on.

It seems to me that people can be split into two camps..those who prefer Robert De Niro and those who prefer Al Pacino. Its a bit like Tiswas
and Swap Shop. you can tell al ot about a person by which they identify with. I am De Niro's no 1 fan and will always think of him as Travis Bickle (taxi driver) despite the Godfather. Im with Peter griffin (family guy) when it comes to the godfather..preferring Once upon a time in America, something which absolutely no one agrees upon with me.

yes film roles are all important although an actor always brings something of themselves to a role which makes it their own. Colin Farrell is a favourite of mine, some roles impress the idea that the character is closest to the actors own, i always imagine Colin to be the petulant child he plays in the film In Bruges, which is a very vulnerable role, ah hes lovely

theres all sorts of wierd and wonderful reasons for why we are and are not attracted to people. I think we should have that other thread...or a splurge of poetry on the theme xx

I thought last Thursday's Tudor was excellent. Where else can you go for free entertainment of that standard?

PS If people are prepared to have someone sat on their knee there will be less seating problems.