Latitude Poetry Club

Norwich Arts Centre

Review written for Eastern Daily Press, not used

Performance poetry is a neglected art form that is staging something of a comeback. It draws heavily on stand-up comedy, making this stand-up poetry.

Three ‘now’ poets performed observational verse, rhyming and blank, as commentary on life, love, the universe and, well, everything, really.

Luke Wright hosted another installment of his Latitude Poetry Club with keenly observed pieces on touring gigs as holidays, the Essex phantom lion, his paunch and his dream woman.

Andy Bennett changed tempo with pieces on the consequences of alcohol, Guy Fawkes, Parliament, the ‘mask of apathy’ and the lost, early morning young man going home. His style was more political, finger-wagging, folk poetry.

Byron Vincent claimed ‘not to be clever enough to be a poet, not funny enough to be a comedian’. In fact he is both. At 37 he looks young but ‘not good’ for his age.

He suffers bi-polar disorder and his dialogues with women, his spiritual journey across religions, his lament at the blandification of town centres and his accounts of treatment of the mentally ill were hilarious yet carried a thoughtful punch in every tale.

A night to remember indeed!