Nightmares and Fairytales at the Artspace Gallery

Friday evening, I joined a well sized group audience for the one night only viewing of Nightmares and Fairytales, held at Art Space (Brougham Road, Southsea). The chilling, yet thrilling exhibition of the drawings and poetry from the twisted imagination of Anna Mathewson, intertwined with Steve Bomford's exploration of her imaginary world through his photography. Building on the success at the Chichester Summer Art show in the Oxmarket Arts Centre last month the exhibit is now on tour.

I will admit to some inhibitions when first entering the gallery, however, I quickly became fixated by the detail and care with which the art had been presented.

The room held the blown up versions of the Anna's work as well as Anna's own personal sketchbook, really impressing upon me the bravery of the artist in allowing the audience so close to their private world. Furniture and books, including two copies of Alice in Wonderland, from Anna's bedroom was used to recreate the authentic room from her own home, true to the artist.

I felt I was truly invited down the rabbit hole of Anna's world with its surprises, illusions and dark humour. Curated excellently by Jan Williams and Daniel O'Neill, Nightmares and Fairytales will hopefully continue to impress further audiences.

Published in AboutmyArea:
http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Hampshire/Portsmouth/PO6/News/Reviews-and-Features/171773-Nightmares-and-Fariytales-A-Review-by-Lynda-Berry

Sprout Night Concert, New Threatre Royla, Wednesday 21st July 2010

Another fantastic night for local talent!

On Wedneday evening the Sprout Concert for emerging local talent was held at the New Threatre Royal. The main poet of the evening was the legendary Donald Gardner, the Amsterdam beat poet who kindly came over from Amsterdam to give his eagerly awaited Tongues and Grooves performance, demonstrating to the 'Sprouts' how it is done.

Maggie Sawkins and Bernard MacDonagh, gave a Irish-folk flavoured performance. Sawkins read her poems on the theme of silence which were interspersed with folk and original tunes from MacDonagh on the button accordion. This was the same performance given as the warm up for Caro Ann Duffy at the Chichester Creative Writing Conference this year, and was praised by the poet laureate herself as 'brilliant'.

Alastair Mansfield, a former naval chaplin, gave an amusing reading before the first 'Sprouts' took to the stage for their first readings. The nerves were running high for these first time perfromers, but the 'Sprouts' came through with flying colours.

The music was a real treat with three great female singers, from the up and coming Krystyna Jankowska, to the more experienced Janet Ayers and Sue Apicella. Jankowska, accompanied by Chris Collier on acoustic guitar,gave heart felt performances of her own work in Polish and English, and covers of Nona Jones and John Lennon's 'Imagine', sending shivers down my heart strings. Janet Ayers, natural voice practitioner, performed with her usual confidence and fabulous comic timing. Ayers was the personality of the event, rivaling Donald Gardner fantastic performance. Sue Apicella performed traditional folk music in the key of 'D'! A running joke that lasted throughout the night ('what key is it in? D!')

After Saturday's creative writing class with Maggie Sawkins and Wendy French, the 'Sprouts' were ready to launch their poems on a well sized audience. Eleven people took to the stage, sometimes for the very first time, to read their poems polished and honed by the experience of Wendy French and Maggie Sawkins. Donald Gardener, commented on how impressed he was with the quality of the poetry performed by the 'Sprouts', though wondered with typical humour, whether the 'Sprouts' appreciated their name (himself of course being the 'Amsterdam sprout, a joke that did not make it to the evenings performance).

Gardener's performance of 'Train Drain' was executed with great style, inspired , undoubtedly, by the courage and enthusiasm of the 'sprouts'.

The night was rounded off with a musical finale lead by Janet Ayers singing 'Happy Birthday' for Maggie Sawkins. Another great night for local talent!

(To be Published by the Young Writer's Hub, Editor Wes Brown).

Tongues and Grooves Review Sunday 27th June 2010

On the last Sunday of the month the Florence Inn, Southsea's best kept secret, is home to another of Southsea's gems on the cultural scene. Last Sunday was a great night for local poetry talent.

The local open mic night invites anyone who considers themselves a poet or musician, to share their work with like minded people and enjoy the talents of others.

The performances varied from those familiar with Tongues and Grooves open mic to the less experienced, taking their first steps in reading their poetry to an audience.

For the music lovers, the music of the night was provided by Deanne Burch, a young artist with a wide repertoire from Toris Amos and the Buzzcocks to her own compositions. One of the open mic poets found it difficult to follow Deanne Burch's soothing voice!
Stephen Boyle, the night's featured poet, gave a sensual performance from his full length anthology, 'Desire Lines'.

Fantastic contributions were made by Maggie Sawkins and Denise Bennett, both recently returned from the Poetry and Voice creative and critical conference at The University of Chichester held with the poet laureate, Caroline Ann Duffy.

If you are local and have a love for poetry and music, the next Tongues and Grooves will be held on Sunday July 25th, doors open at 7.30 pm. The featured poets will be Paul Birtil and Mike Loveday. For further details email enquiries@tongues-and-grooves.org.uk.

Published on AboutMyArea Website 12th July 2010 http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/site/nl_display.asp?area=47&i=3154+