Worcestershire | Archive | 2005 | July | 8
From the archive, first published Friday 8th Jul 2005.
Ledbury Scribes' open mike evening on Monday lacked a microphone and needed one.
But few other events at this year's festival can have enjoyed such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
The Scribes' presence is rapidly becoming a `can't miss' attraction and the restaurant was packed.
There were guest readers from much further afield, including Lancashire, and one visitor explained: "I'm here tonight, just so I can say that I've read at the Ledbury Festival!"
So, what about the poetry? There were humorous poems and reflective poems, all marked with honesty and the intention to communicate with clarity. At no point did I sense the audience becoming bored or restless. Those who question the relevance of poetry in the modern age should have been there to have their views altered.
Highlights for me included Tony Gittings, reading his spoof of the famous "John of Gaunt" speech from Shakespeare. Modern England is "a fortress built by Blair for himself, against inflation and the hand of Prescott..."
Folk singer Muriel Forrest, from Cradley, who has just published a poetry collection called Down Watery Lane, was a real star on the guitar.
Gary Bills-Geddes
© Newsquest Media Group 2008