Guildford Poetry Scene Thrives at The Keystone and Bar Des Arts

Two visits to Guildford in one week and I’ve begun to feel like a poetry commuter! First up I was there for the launch of The Keystone Anthology, which is a roller-coaster of a read. Concrete poetry, free-verse, traditional form, politics, love, humour, anatomical conundrums  and amorous fridges all jostle for the reader’s attention.

Poems in the anthology have been written by the 1,000 monkeys (aka poets who performed at The Keystone or Bar des Arts last year) and is superbly edited by  Janice Windle. 

There’s a generous 164 pages of poetry by 56 poets including Chrys Salt MBE, Bernard Kops, David Cooke, Ghareeb Iskander, Wendy Klein, Amy Neilson Smith, Bethany W Pope, Claire Booker, Nancy Charley and Steve Pottinger.

The first edition sold out, but more copies will shortly be available at Dempsey&Windle – books, pamphlets and poems

Surrey’s capital city beckoned again only days later, as I’d been invited by the 1,000 Monkeys to perform a set at the monthly Bar des Arts poetry shindig alongside Elaine Stabler and Hugh Greasley. So it was Clapham Junction (platform 11, swarming with cut-throat commuters returning to roost) and due south to this lovely venue, nestling by Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud theatre. The turn-out was lively and perfectly formed, including some wonderful open mic madness by Alex Twyman, Donall Dempsey and a top-hatted gothic bard. The 1,000 Monkeys meet at 7.30pm every third Tuesday of the month at The Bar des Arts, Weymead House, Milbrook, Guildford GU1 3YA. It’s a FREE event and all are welcome.

A Thousand Monkeys go Ape-shit in Guildford!

Pop Up Poetry pulled a thousand monkeys out of a hat last night, with the launch of its spanking new anthology for 2014.

Congratulations to editor Janice Windle and host Donall Dempsey for a spectactular event at The Bar Des Arts in Guildford, Surrey, where poets and audience gathered for an evening of word, song and antics to celebrate the event’s re-branding from PUP to The Thousand Monkeys.

Performers included  Cat Randle, Elaine Stabler, Grim Chip, Kathy Tyler, the Stokey Bard, Amy McAllister, Tom Vliestra and me. There was music too from the Dirty Carols (don’t ask!)

At  183 pages, the Pop Up Anthology 2014 is among the most generous and intelligently put together I’ve seen in a good while. Open mic-ers were all offered at least one page in the book, and what you get is the best poetry from 70 poets who have read at some point during the year, including:

Wendy Klein, Steve Pottinger, Sally Blackmore, David Cooke, Donall Dempsey, Louise Etheridge, A F Harrold, Mark Gilfillan, Claire Booker, Holly Luhning, Patrick Osada, Bethany Pope, Chrys Salt, Pauline Sewards, Isabel White and Janice Windle.

To buy a copy of Pop Up Anthology 2014, or to find out more about the free monthly event in Guildford on the third Tuesday of each month, visit: 

www.dempseyand windle.co.uk

www.the1000monkeys.com

 

 

Bookerplays shares stage with grand piano

They really do things in style down in Surrey’s cathedral city of Guildford. Even the poetry venues have crystal chandeliers!

An enthusiastic audience watch ‘Harriet by the Swings’

Bookerplays was invited by Pop Up Poetry organisers Donall Dempsey and Jan Windle to perform two short plays at their regular spoken word event.

Carla Espinoza in the role of Sylvia in ‘Rainbow Baby’

Talented actors Rachel Crowther, Carla Espinoza, Alex Gibson and Natalie Harper shared the stage with a grand piano, double bass and some seriously decorous lighting, as they performed Claire Booker’s ‘Harriet by the Swings’ and ‘Rainbow Baby’ to a rousing reception yesterday at The Bar Des Arts opposite The Yvonne Arnaud theatre.

Pop Up Poetry offers an eclectic mix of music, poetry, spoken word and a generous sprinkling of fairy dust.   What’s more –  it’s all free! For details of where and when please check out the following link: http://www.facebook.com/PopUpPoets

To view a 5 minute film of ‘Harriet by the Swings’ as performed by the same cast at the Lost Theatre, Stockwell, London, last year, please click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHZOSlv2b0&hd=1

Bookerplays head for the pulsing heart of Guildford

First Manchester, then Whitstable and most recently London – now Claire Booker’s short play ‘Harriet by the Swings’ is set for its home counties premiere!

If you’re in Guildford on Tuesday 19th February, get yourself down to The Bar Des Arts opposite the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre where the monthly word and music event, Pop Up Poetry, has a host of goodies in store.  Special guests will include Ernie Burns, Mel Jones, the Stokey Bard, plus ‘Harriet by the Swings’ and a second short play by Claire – ‘Rainbow Baby’.  For more details check the following link: http://www.facebook.com/PopUpPoets

Seats fill up at Loose Muse

And it’s all thanks to Loose Muse at Covent Garden’s Poetry Cafe – proving that networking really does makes the world go round. Pop Up Poetry host Jan Windle was reading her poetry there earlier this month on the same evening as ‘Harriet by the Swings’ and ‘Rainbow Baby’ were performed at the venue.  She and fellow Pop Up host Donall Dempsey liked what they saw. Bingo!

Claire’s two plays were also performed at Beyond Words at the Gipsy Hill Tavern, SE19 which meets on the first Tuesday of each month. For more details contact: beyond.words@aol.co.uk

Alex Gibson as Sam

Please click on the following link to see ‘Harriet by the Swings’ as filmed during its performance at the Lost Theatre, Stockwell:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHZOSlv2b0&hd=1

Carla Espinoza as Pam

“The actors did a fabulous job of conveying Claire Booker’s succinct script.”   Brett Evans, Editor Prole literary magazine.

Natalie Harper as Tam