Learning: Eating: Performing

The Word and Sound were back at the Worcester Arts Workshop today for Learn: Eat: Perform, which was a wonderful poetry workshop run by The Worcestershire Literature Festival with guest poet Aoife Mannix.  http://aoifemannix.com/

The workshop covered performance tips which were easily accessible.  Aoife also had some wonderful writing exercises which freed up the imagination: how to dress for a ball on Venus.  Some very elaborate outfits saw the light of day.  The drafts saw the beginnings of many poems for the participants.

After a break for lunch with fantastic food at on-site Cafe Bliss, an open mic followed to enable tips to be put into practice.  Check out the menu here:

The next Learn: Eat: Perform: is on Sunday 20th March with guest poet Lucy Engish.  £6 in advance or £7 on the door.  There are 15 places.  For more details and how to book visit the Worcestershire Literature Festival's website: http://www.worcslitfest.com/sunday-20th-march-2011-learn-eat-perform-with-lucy-english/

The John Denton Award

Saturday saw the presentation of a new award at The Word and Sound.  The John Denton Award is awarded at the first Word and Sound of the year, to the most popular act of the previous year.  It's named in honour of John Denton who founded the Word and Sound in 2010 and who left the Worcester Arts Workshop in December.  John Denton was the first recipient.

We could not, not mention

he contribution by John Denton

to the Worcester Arts Workshop

and last year – it stopped

So about the man. An enigma?

Blues guitarist and a sapphire singer

A thinker, a listener, with political conscience

That’s lucky, he’s put up with, a fair bit on nonsense

We of course were not shocked

to hear last week Great Malvern rocked

to his Delta rhythm and blues 12-bar.

He held that crowd, with his new guitar

What did his wife say?

She said listen, don’t be late

No more than six pints

The long-suffering but very loving Kate

Perhaps we should move on

Perhaps we should

Is there one like him

In every neighbourhood?

We’ve got something for John Denton

We are of one accord

The Word & Sound

have a new award

So ladies and gentlemen – listen up

We introduce the John Denton Cup

Awarded to the most popular act of the previous year

That had to be you, John, dear lad, come here….

Heart-felt Words

Saturday 12th February saw the first Word and Sound of 2011.  The theme, given its proximity to Valentine's Day was Heart-felt Words, (as opposed to the slightly more obvious "love.")  As usual there was no previous programme as The Word and Sound love the spontaneity and unknown quantity of not knowing who is going to get up on the night!

Performers musically were The Brothers' Grimm, a.k.a John Denton and Adrian Mealing; Colin Baggs; Russell Marshall.

Poets and Spoken Word Performers were Amanda Bonnick, Math Jones, Sarah Tamar, Fergus McGonical, Matt Brockington, Gary Carr, Lea Roy Haworth, Ruth Stacey, Jenny Hope