PoeJazzi: Spokenworld

Performance poetry, when done well, is so different from reading verse on a page. It should be vibrant, eclectic and powerful – a vivacious mix between music and the spoken word. This is PoeJazzi, and it’s nothing short of lyrical bliss.

Our MC for the evening, Los Angeles poetess E. Amato, starts by thanking us for coming out ("it’s pissing down with rain and we could be watching the Olympics"). She introduces our poets: Anita Govan, Martin Dawes, and a special guest named Duffy. A live painter in the corner of the stage completes the line-up, who, by the end of the set has produced two pieces of art with genuine flair and ingenuity based on the poetry he hears.

The poets rotate each night, ensuring that every performance is different. Indeed, as Amato puts it, throwing poets together on stage is like cooking – you’re never sure what flavours are going to complement each other but you normally get something tasty.

The poets on offer really are top-notch, drawing on themes of travel, loss and love, from the excitement of that first kiss to the monotonous hum of the city. The topics performed cover a wide spectrum of human experience and emotion. PoeJazzi is a Fringe treat; it skilfully explores the melody of everyday life, celebrating it’s vibrancy in the spoken word.