Cavafy: (Queer) poetry on stage & What can theatre and spoken word learn from each other? Josh Neicho, 27 January 2013 Session was convened jointly by Pete Cant and Josh Neicho Attendees: Fergus, K Honowski, Aliki Chapple, George Mann, Ellis Kerkhaven, Nayda, Sasha Brooks, Steve The session related to a forthcoming project by Pete Cant involving bringing to the stage the poetry of Cavafy, Greek poet living in Alexandria in the early 20th century (died c.1930), writing richly evocative queer poetry and only felt he produced his best work after the age of 40. Pete wanted to explore wider issues of how to portray poetry on stage, which led into questions of what makes performance poetry and poems and theatre as traditionally understood distinct. Josh as a spoken word performer with an interest in theatre wanted to discuss the differences between the two forms and the extent they are compatible. Pete posed questions about different experiences people had had with poetry on stage, how it was used, the successes and the horror stories. Fergus, a theatre maker and spoken word artist, mentioned Polarbear, Kate Tempest, Hannah Walker and Inua Ellams as spoken word artists who also make theatre, and a show by Penultimate, putting on stage the work of five different spoken word artists in Manchester. He raised the contrasting examples of poetry that contains realistic dialogue and plays that can be read as poetry. Fergus cited the least successful example of poetry on stage he had seen as a show by producer Julia Bird (other work by whom he praised) getting actors to convey the work of page poets who do not normally perform, which he described as “muddled, incoherent and distracting” even though the poetry itself was strong. He mentioned as a highly successful example Salena Godden's contribution to 66 Books at the Bush, a piece using family stories to engage with the issue of library closures. Pete described his work on Unleashed at the Barbican, directed by Walter Meierjohann, involving young people who were drummers, dancers, musicians and poets to tell a story about their lives in east London - the poetry (like the music) helping a non-narrative story come to life and adding a power which the work otherwise would not have had. The group discussed The Architects by Shunt. Fergus thought it was good and the reviews unfair but thought the weakest point where it was trying to impose a narrative about the Minotaur, seemingly at the last minute, and the best part was the manifesto at the start. He picked up on the protestations of the characters in the show about not making something beautiful and the fact that in reality they had created something beautiful. Other members of the group raised the idea of poetry being about beauty, and a thing of beauty in itself. George Mann, who has devised and performed on a one man version of the Odyssey, drew a distinction between performance poetry where the appearance and physicality of the poet is not necessarily important and theatre which is a visual way of presenting a text. Fergus mentioned the contrasting cases of spoken word performers presenting their own work, and performers presenting other people's work and wondered whether the latter could be as successful. Josh and other members of the group discussed the honesty and integrity but also the self-centredness of spoken word artists performing their own work and not that by others. Ellis Kerkhaven is a playwright who writes plays that happen to poems - he gave one example where the characters speak in different forms of verse which reflect their personality and mood, but they are ordinary people not poets. He says he has found a sniffiness and lack of comprehension among other playwrights and big theatre institutions about plays which consist of poetry. He is frustrated at the fact he has to go to spoken word events to perform his work, when they are intended for a theatre. George Mann suggested it was a way it was presented and mentioned Sarah Kane as an example of someone whose plays consist of lines of poetry. Josh mentioned the fact that over half of Shakespeare is verse. Steve mentioned that the Staying Alive poetry anthology trilogy had been performed in 2012 . Someone mentioned the Telegraph Hill festival. The contrast between a spoken word event where performance by the writer of the work of his own work is considered crucial (and someone performing someone else's poems looked down on) and a play where the playwright does not have to be there was raised. Josh mentioned the appeal of getting another performer of contrasting appearance to the poet performing that poet's work and also mentioned playwright Elfriede Jelinek appearing in her own Sports Play, on tour in 2012. George suggested the best approach for Ellis and other playwrights doing work which met with scepticism because it clashed with expectations about form was to go ahead and do it, and that would be more persuasive to the unconvinced than talking about it. Tags: Elfriede Jelinek, Queer, 66 Books, Belgrade Theatre, Walter Meierjohann, spoken word, barbican, queer, Salena Godden, shunt, Shunt, Cavafy, poetry, Kate Tempest, beauty, Sarah Kane, Barbican, The Architects, Bush Theatre