Protest Moaning & Megaphoning

I performed Protest Moans & Megaphones as part of Ilkley Literature Festival.  It’s good to be back at the esteemed Lit Fest, I did some stuff with the Scribe magazine many moons ago.

Obviously the title and the nature of the show isn’t for everyone, and I appreciate some of the people who attend Literature events don’t want a rant last thing at night, even if it is free.

 

Fortunately, I have a nice little audience, maybe about a dozen people, who laughed at the ‘funny bits’ (even towards the end when it gets all heavy) and seemed engaged for the 50 mins of the show.

Protest Moans & Megaphones has had little scratches at The Little Fest of Everything (Coxwold), York’s Stereo and Edinburgh PBH Free Fringe but the feedback for them all was the lecture half was too…lecturey.  So I’ve taken influence from Molly Naylor after seeing Robot Heart at EdFringe this year and reading Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think Of You.

The show is now more of a complete story, beginning, middle and end told though narration and interspersed with poetry, poems and, even (get this) a rap I am writing.  The ‘educational’ element is there, but not as obvious, direct and heavy.  The story itself is told through the eyes of a number of protagonists, and tries to explore why people go on demonstrations, condemn, condone or carry out direct action.

I’m not supporting ‘violence’ by protestors, but I’m just exploring the world of a demo which is getting more and more familiar as each month passes and we slog our way through London once more.  I don’t want to go to jail for writing a story, so I’m tempered the show as much as possible.  I don’t know if the show’s dangerous, patronising or inaccessible, or even if it makes me a hypocrite with my views on political theatre, but time will tell as it gets more editing and more development.

Also I had a really nice review from a blog, nicest review I’d ever had actually, read it here

I’m down at the TUC demo this coming Saturday, I might make some flyers with poems to hand out for free.  I’m stopping the night so I can go to a gig and catch Captain Ska and Grace Petrie, the latter a huge influence in the past 12 months on.