On the Night: A Lovely Word

Paddy Hughes, mastermind and wordsmith behind the spoken word and poetry night A Lovely Word, provides a lively reminder over mid-afternoon coffee that Liverpool’s poetry scene is flourishing under his watchful eye and busy pen. For a night that began life in the late MelloMello (RIP), the event has gone from strength to strength, finding its new home in the enveloping arms of the Everyman Theatre’s famous bistro.

A Lovely Word is a free event and acts as an opportunity for anyone – irrespective of their background – to engage with poetry and spoken word, whether it’s spectating or performing. Each poet is given a two-poem slot (though this is admittedly flexible), with participants' ages ranging from 16 to 70 and topics from government conspiracy to the closure of the local pub.

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"You’re never quite sure what you’ll get on the evening..." – Paddy Hughes

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Unpredictable perhaps, but variety is part of the event’s charm. Hughes himself is noticeably excited by the concept: "You’re never quite sure what you’ll get on the evening… and that’s great. It could be a complete amateur scribbling notes in their lunch break or a published poet with bags of experience!" he says. Talking to Hughes, it is clear that this diversity is central to his vision for the future.

In a nutshell, A Lovely Word aims to break down the traditional barriers to poetry. Hughes readily admits that poetry can often be viewed as boring, studied in the classroom from set texts and explored in laborious detail in syllabi across the country, yet A Lovely Word presents spoken word as an expressive art form, allowing the participants to explore fundamental elements of themselves: their poems manifesting from their personal experiences or political persuasion. Those who attend the evening do not have to partake in the reading itself, but are invited to soak up the atmosphere and familiarise themselves with the format – though Hughes hopes that the relaxed setting of the location will encourage spectators to eventually take to the mic themselves.

The evolution of the event has prompted the need for a bigger venue that allows greater opportunity for networking, and while the Everyman Bistro caters to this, it also continues the crucial level of intimacy established in its previous venue. Hughes describes the leap to the Bistro as the "natural thing to do," as the association to the theatre can only serve to increase the reach of the collective, pulling more people through the door – plus, the Everyman's inclusive philosophy reflects the idea that poetry belongs to all. Following in the footsteps of esteemed Liverpool writers such as Jeff Young, Lizzie Nunnery and Mark Davies-Markham, A Lovely Word can only serve to strengthen this legacy.