Cut off Your Telephone, WH Auden in Theatres
The Habit of Art by Alan Bennett **** (Four stars)
The Original Theatre Company. Belgrade Theatre Coventry
These days it is somewhat rare to find the world of poetry represented in mainstream, grown-up theatre, so imagine how delighted I was to receive an invitation to see Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art which is having a short run at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. Written in 200...
12th November 2018
Hollie McNish: Plums, Mums and Football Coaching
Plum. **** (Four stars)
Hollie McNish. Winchester Poetry Festival, October 2018
Hollie McNish was the perfect headline finish to a hugely successful 2018 Winchester Poetry Festival. Her honest, pithy words coupled with her hilarious and authentic ‘girl-next-door’ delivery make her enterta...
17th October 2018
So Many Highlights at the Winchester Poetry Festival
The third Winchester Poetry Festival drew to a close yesterday with founding trustee and Festival Chair Stephen Boyce thanking and paying tribute in suitable fashion to the staff and volunteers who ma...
17th October 2018
Inua Ellams' R.A.P. Party at Totally Thames
Inua Ellams' R.A.P. Party ***** (Five Stars)
Totally Thames Festival, London. Onboard the Dixie Queen. 12th September 2018
Arguably the jewel in the crown of this September-long festival cele...
22nd September 2018
Elvis McGonagall: Full Tartan Jacket
Following my attendance at his show Full Tartan Jacket (see review below) I spoke to Elvis McGonagall about what he was doing, and why. “The aim of the show was to bellow my material into the void whi...
1st September 2018
Edinburgh Fringe Reviews: Porky the Poet and Stand Up & Slam
As the world’s largest arts festival rumbles and ricochets onwards and upwards through to the end of August, there’s still time to visit Scotland’s capital and take in a few cheeky shows. Some are ch...
19th August 2018
Edinburgh Fringe Reviews: Jess Green and Rowan McCabe
As you may be aware the Edinburgh Fringe is well under way. Every August the entire city is taken over by comedians, thespians, promoters, poets, musicians and all manner of downright weirdos in what ...
17th August 2018
Editor's Review: Benjamin Zephaniah at the Hay Festival
The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah **** (four stars)
Benjamin Zephaniah is definitely a modern master of poetry, and this thousand-plus sold out Hay Festival gig was his opportunity to indu...
14th June 2018
Editor's Review: Spoken Word at Brighton Fringe
A whistle-stop, two-day visit to the Brighton Fringe on a glorious bank-holiday weekend at the start of May was always going to be unsatisfyingly brief. In true Fringe tradition events were everywher...
25th May 2018