Poetry

REVIEW: Live on Air (Anywhere Fest)

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Live on Air is the only Anywhere Fest show this year to truly go anywhere. Comedy-poet Telia Nevile’s pirate radio show streams from her lounge room into yours, wherever you are. 

Logging into Live on Air feels like checking in to Skype with a friend. Nevile turns on her webcam and broadcasts live from a homely couch in a Melbourne living room. Black-and-white posters of writer-rockstars plaster the rear wall; Oscar Wilde features, along with his epigram: “I have nothing to declare but my genius.” Nevile wears a homemade shirt that says, “Rimbaud Built My Hotrod”. From the get-go, we know this is erudite comedy. Bring it on.

Relia Nevile

Live on Air takes the format of a radio variety show, interspersed with power ballads, pop and even a bit of grammar grindcore (“Apostrophe Apocalypse”). Nevile’s poems form the heart of the show. Each follows an extended metaphor (e.g. “‘Eros’ is Just ‘Sore’ Spelled Backwards”) via one-liner witticisms. To the tune of Satie on piano, Nevile explains that she’s “deep (in thought)” but you’re deepest “when you’re six foot under.” As well as poems, there’s fiction — both flash and slash (West Wing fan fiction, to be precise).

Nevile is a strong performer and the setting (from her couch to yours) makes for an intimate performance. Rather than feeling tucked away in the privacy of home, I keep forgetting that the video is only one-way. It feels rude not to respond with, at the very least, applause. Perhaps we need a talkback line.

Comedy is an incredibly subjective beast. Nevile’s poetic brand of funny doesn’t quite tickle my funny bone, but I do appreciate her commitment to satirising form. The “poetry cabaret” variety show, delivered here via webcam in the manner of radio plays, is a fantastic format. Live on Air also proves that performance can be just as intimate online as on stage.

LIVE ON AIR ran from 8 to 16 May, 2013. Anywhere Festival.

Alchemy @ Brisbane Square Library 17.5.13

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A lovely review from Tash D at Factory Diaries.

Factory Diaries's avatarFactory Diaries

On the third Friday of every month the Brisbane Square Library is host to a myriad of music, poetry and performance. Alchemy is the name of this monthly event and it is MCd by the lovely Frankie Vandellous.

photo

Unfortunately, I was a tad tardy in arriving to this month’s event so I missed the wonderful musical stylings of Wayne Jennings of The Ragtag Band fame.

I did make it in time to catch the two beautiful dancers from Evoke Dance and Theatre Company performing along to the latin grooves of Tari Hujan, however. The dancers were graceful and strong pulling off fantastic lifts and spins with the greatest of ease. Their routine showed their diversity changing paces several times.

Then the audience was treated to the poetic genius that is Zenobia Frost. This performance featured her ukulele debut in a poem/song that illustrated the contrast between her…

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Review: Growing Pains (Anywhere Fest)

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Review by Nerissa Rowan

When you think of poetry, do you think Shakespearean sonnets or bush ballads? In Growing Pains, four writers show us there’s a lot more to spoken word than rhythm and rhyme. This is “poetry”. It touches on themes of ethnicity, relationships, religion and the trials of growing up.

They’ve taken over the Bird Gallery, a cosy space permeated with the smell of coffee and packed with chairs, cushions and beanbags. On the wall is a work in progress — a collage of baby photos and memories. The audience and cafe patrons are encouraged to add their own memories to the wall. Prompters like “what did you want to be when you grow up” and “what smell do you remember” are designed to inspire us to share our stories too.

“Herein you will find instructions on being an adult.” Martin Ingle’s hilarious piece about the rules of adulthood sets the tone for the next hour. He is confident and funny, bringing a stand-up comedy feel to the show, particularly when he asks the question: is it love or food poisoning?

His work is interspersed with that of the three other performers. Vuong Pham is quiet and reflective, bringing haiku and faith into the mix. The soft spoken but powerful words of Jo Sri make it obvious why he was the Queensland winner of the National Poetry Slam in 2012. His words are heartfelt, personal, humorous and often political.

We have to wait a little while before Josh Donellan takes the stage, but he brings more great slam and storytelling filled with wordplay and emotion. He’s the only one who comes close to fitting the traditional stereotype of a writer, with his 1984 t-shirt and a hat that, at first glance, looks like a beret.

There’s some creative metaphor, amusing wordplay and jokes at the expense of poetry. The audience laps it up.

The finale is a well-constructed collaborative piece which wraps up the show nicely. It brings the performers, their styles and themes together into a cohesive whole. Words are my thing, and I enjoyed this show immensely.

Growing Pains ran at Bird Gallery on 16 May, 2013. Anywhere Festival.

Nerissa Rowan is a poet, performer, Arts Hub reviewer, and former OffStreet PressGang member.

Review: Mixtape (Anywhere Fest)

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Review by Nerissa Rowan

“I’ve made you a mixtape.”

Sure, it’s an old-school concept — but you may remember a time when there was nothing more romantic than getting a mixtape of music chosen especially for you. Each one had a special meaning, hidden or overt. It was an intimate journey for a couple.

Scott Sneddon and Angela Willock allow us to eavesdrop on their mixtape conversation, as they get to know each other through the medium of music. It’s a show punctuated with recorded music as they play each other the soundtracks of their lives. There are some touching stories and embarrassing confessions — there are always songs we loved that will come back to haunt us.

In short, it’s a series of poetic love letters to the good and not-so-good music of our youth. Each track has a story behind it, a rationale for being included be it a happy memory, a moment of discovery or an admiration for musicians who change our lives.

But it also examines the beginnings of a relationship, the fears, hopes and taboos that come with starting something new. There were a few moments of awkwardness which could have been excellent acting, or genuine nervousness. In this kind of performance it’s difficult to tell.

With a show like this there is plenty to relate to. It sparks memories of falling in love — be it with a girl, a boy or a song. It might make you think back on your own teenage years, consider the songs that shaped you and what your own biographical mixtape might contain. It celebrates awkward dancing and knowing all the words to the most embarrassing songs.

This is an enjoyable and well-constructed show that kept me captivated to the end. Mixtape will leave you with a smile on your face. Do yourself a favour…

Mixtape runs at the Rabbithole Cafe from 16 to 17 May, 2013. Anywhere Festival.

Nerissa Rowan is a poet, performer, Arts Hub reviewer, and former OffStreet PressGang member.

Anywhere Fest: Mixtape

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Anywhere Fest is still all systems go this week. First up, poets Angela Willock and Scott Sneddon join voices for a musical romance. I asked Angela a few quick questions about Mixtape.

Q. Describe your show/s in under 25 words.
A. It’s an off-key and somewhat awkward exploration into two people getting to know each other through music.

Q. Anywhere Festival is about making art everywhere. What makes your venue unique?
A. It’s the quirky little courtyard of someone’s business in the Valley. You could be forgiven for thinking you were hanging out in a stranger’s backyard.

Mixtape

Q. If your show were a new My Little Pony, what would it look like? What would its superpower be?
A. It would wear cowboy boots and hip hop bling and too much eyeliner. It’s superpower would be to explode your head with its off-key singing to bad pop songs.

Q. What was the most embarrassing mixtape you ever sent/received (in hindsight)?
A. I would have to say I’m usually the bearer of bad mixtapes. I went through a phase where I themed them, like, “Oh, you’re sad — here’s 20 songs about depression to make you feel better…”

Mixtape runs at the Rabbithole Cafe from 16 to 17 May, 2013.

Alchemy and Chemistry

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Alchemy has procured some collaborative-arts gold for its May show this Friday: Scrambled Legs, circus duo Claire Ogden and Shane Smith; Tari Hujan, a five-piece band who transmute genres; and that poet who likes graveyards and cats and stuff, Zenobia Frost, occasionally accompanied by charismatic cellist, Wayne Jennings (the Ragtag Band).

 

Frankie Vandellous hosts this splendid, free monthly event. Come along and support Brisbane arts!

Alchemy: A Little May Magic
5.30pm, Friday, 17 May
Brisbane Square Library

Anywhere Fest: Live on Air

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Melbourne’s own Telia Nevile hits the airwaves for Anywhere Fest. As her comedic character Poet Laureate Telia Nevile, our host broadcasts Live on Air from her lounge room to yours.

Q. Describe your show in under 25 words.
A. An ode to the outsider full of tongue-in-cheek poems set to backing tracks that range from rap to blues, death metal to bubblegum pop.

Q. Anywhere Festival is about making art everywhere. What makes your venue (or in this case, airwaves) unique?
A. There’s something about bringing theatre into your own home, where you can experience it in amongst your own reality and entirely on your own terms, that makes the idea of live-streaming really intriguing. With a show over the internet, which you can watch while you’re in your pajamas curled up on your couch, there’s a lot of possibility for intimacy and honest reaction without any big emotional demands on the audience. I’m both excited and terrified because it’s such a different experience as a performer, but I hope that it will open up new places within the character and that it will expand the audience experience.

telianevile

Q. If your show were a new My Little Pony, what would it look like? What would its superpower be?
A. Is there a dark, furtive and socially awkward one that reads Proust in public and Mills & Boon in private?

Q. Live on Air sounds like it’s billed as part BBC radio play, part character comedy and part poetry. How do you meld these forms in your show?
A. The poetry is an inherent part of the character — it’s her chosen form of expression and it acts as a pressure valve that releases all her greatest hopes and frustrations. The radio part was inspired by a 90s film called Pump Up the Volume. In this, as in that movie, it allows the protagonist to be entirely, unflinchingly honest because when you’re alone in your room there’s nothing to lose — you can’t see any shock or disappointment or disapproval on anyone’s face because you never really know if anyone’s listening or not. In that aspect, radio is incredibly freeing.

Live on Air runs online from 8 to 16 May, 2013.

Anywhere Fest: Chosen Family

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Poets Eleanor Jackson and Betsy Turcot (The Belles of Hell) wowed Brisbane at last year’s Anywhere Fest with She Stole My Every Rock ‘n’ Roll. This year, they’ve got a new poetic dialogue in store: Chosen Family.

Q. Describe your show in under 25 words.
A. Two women trading poetry about the strange, painful-beautiful of family, piecing together a montage of grainy family photographs and giving them a glossy finish. Photoshop for the soul, so to speak.

Q. Anywhere Festival is about making art everywhere. What makes your venue unique?
A. The venue (the beautiful back deck of Justice Products) is the perfect place for a Queensland family Christmas, complete with tin roof and timber decking. Spiral Community Hub, which operates Justice Products, is not just a beautiful shop, it’s an amazing community space that runs training, community workshops and supports local people to develop more sustainable lives. Might be a little cold though at night though, so we’ll try to warm you up with some tea. BYO bunny rug if you get chilly!

Chosen Family

Betsy and I are particularly interested in the Anywhere Theatre Festival for the way that it partners performers and community spaces, with great support from venues. It’s why we held She Stole My Every Rock ‘n’ Roll at Jet Black Cat — to support a queer local business, and this time at Spiral/Justice, because it’s got a great local community connection.

Q. If you could have your show run absolutely anywhere in the universe and at any point of history, where would you run it (after West End, of course)?
A. Well, There’s no time like the present, so Betsy and I would love to hit the Big Apple where her family could see us perform. Time to start fundraising!

Q. You and Betsy have brought the poetic dialogue to the fore in Brisbane — and perfected it. What does Chosen Family bring to the form?
A. (blush) In writing Chosen Family, we have thought about the simplest and clearest way to create space and connection between people — not by shouting each other down but making space for everyone to whisper. Because sometimes only when it’s quiet can you say true things.

CHOSEN FAMILY runs at Justice Earth Building, 192 Boundary St, West End from 16 to 18 May, 2013.

Anywhere Festival: MaXimal

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Anywhere Festival is about to kick off in Brisbane! To celebrate the making of art all over Brisbane — outside, inside, on the airwaves, in the elevator, in the streets, in your pants — OffStreet Arts will feature super-rad Q&As with some of the festival’s most exciting acts. To begin with, I chatted with Scott Sneddon, aka Darkwing Dubs, about his show, MaXimal!

Q. Describe your show/s in under 25 words or fewer.
A. A very stupid idea: pooling together spoken word, hip-hop, songwriting and comedy into an hour of crazy. It’s awesome.

Q. Anywhere Festival is about making art … anywhere. What makes your venue unique?
A. I got a river view, at The Edge — right on Southbank next to the library. With boats n stuff going past. Plus The Edge is awesome and I’d do anything to support them!

MaXimal — Darkwing

Q. If your show were a new My Little Pony, what would it look like? What would its superpower be?
A. It would have a ninja outfit and jump out — like HOOYA — and you would say that it wasn’t a good ninja because you saw it coming but then you would start choking and the My Little Pony Ninja would be like, “Or am I the best ninja ever?” But you’d never get to answer the question cos you’d be dead.

Q. What is maximalist poetry?
A. Maximalism is everything you’re not meant to do in poetry — it’s not earnest, serious or clever. It’s basically a pisstake of the whole thing and heaps of fun and something that tends to make people cry with laughter. Therefore it is my favourite thing ever invented by me.

MaXimal! runs on the lawn, level 3, The Edge (SLQ) from 10 to 11 May, 2013, as part of Anywhere Festival.

Thing[s]!

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Voiceworks Magazine #92 — Thing is out now. It contains one of my favourite ever VW poems: “Matisse Blue Nude II” by Jake Dennis. And I have a poem in there too: “Graveyard Haibun”. I’ve been working on this one for some years now, and I’m delighted it has found a home. It was the very first Toowong Cemetery poem!

Here’s the Thing:

Inside Voiceworks #92 you’ll find stories about two little fishes, a father wrapped in wool and musings about flies. Poetry of silhouettes becoming blueprint, detectives contemplating marriage and graveyards (but like, good poetry about graveyards). Nonfiction exploring gender, mysterious red chillies and what it’s like to be a white guy who really wants to ‘get’ hip-hop. Visual art and comics that will melt your brain in a way you know you want it to.

It only costs 10 monies and you can buy it at Avid Reader (if you’re in Brisbane), order it online, or buy an e-copy for five bucks. Voiceworks supports young Australian writers and also the whole committee is smokin’ hot.

Today’s second piece of news is that my review of Paul Summers‘ latest collection, Unity, is up on the Queensland Poetry Festival Blog — just in time for his reading at Riverbend Books next week. These events are always something special, and I’m really sorry I can’t make this one — so make sure you get along for me.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing Summers perform, you’ll read these poems in his low, lyrical Northumbrian voice. His accent permeates the metre; form or not, each poem writes its own rules of rhythm. They chant, rather than sing. Thus Summers weaves a spell of the senses.

Riverbend Poetry Series II is at 6pm, 23 April 2013. Tickets cost $10.