Caligula on Ice

Norwich Arts Centre

Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 13 October 2006

Caligula on Ice

If you are not much into poetry performance, it may sound like a hippy happening shrouded in substance fumes.

But this was bang up to date. There were three sets, like a well-rounded play with long intervals.

The opener was from Martin Figura, a stand-up poet of nostalgia and our first Christmas poem – “Every year we gather round the tree, opening old wounds”.

Tim Turnbull recited a philosophical puzzle about God living with teenagers. His work is a narrative of assorted tales, littered with props, voices, mimes and acting.

Turnbull’s final set is the main piece – Caligula on Ice. It’s a parody of a spiel for backers of a show that is comedy, circus and topical observation.

After it was all over, I left wondering what is the difference between a performance poet and stand-up comic. Now I know. The former wants to sell books, the latter wants to be loved, like a dog!