Words, lots of words

Last night Steve and I went to the Connaught Theatre in Worthing to see Dr John Cooper Clarke. Actually, not so much to see Dr John Cooper Clarke because as I said yesterday, he is not the prettiest of Gods creatures but he is one of our greatest living poets and is exceptionally good at reciting his own lengthy works in his quite alarmingly rapid fashion. 

The poor theatre manager had the embarrassing job of telling the waiting audience that the show was delayed. It was raining outside so you couldn’t even pop out for a better coffee than the one’s they serve in the bar. The bar then got more crowded and since Steve and I do not frequent bars as a leisure form, we sulkily bought a packet of sweets each and went to listen to the Radio 4 film programme sitting in our car over the street.  

We returned when we saw that all the people who had stood outside the theatre under the art deco awning, had started to seep back inside. There was still a delay before starting. The delightful Melody Bridges, who we know works so hard at the helm of the Worthing WOW group (World of Words), walked on stage and maybe I am mistaken, but she too appeared to be playing for time, encouraging people to buy tickets for the festival 2016 in her usually bubbly manner and introducing the performers to the colourful group of people there present. 

The night was superb, once it got started, and I have to say that we enjoyed Mike Garry very much and admit that he is new to us. He held the first part of the evening with his own works brilliantly read and acted. He is hardly a warm up act, a real star in is own ‘Write’. Google him why don’t you. It was a looooong wait by the time Dr John Cooper Clarke appeared on stage after a very long interval and another introduction and gee up talk by Melody. 

I’ll start with the final summing up. He was brilliant, he was funny and he was most entertaining. Although we could not smell his breathe from way back in the only seats I could get very soon after they went on sale, I would think I was not unfair in saying that I thought he had had a few! That is probably ok for most people but I have lost my tolerance level for people who drink heavily. To put it simply as my mum would say “Its not funny and its not clever”!  My husband does not drink at all, neither did my Dad or Mum, and I am not brilliant at it, a couple of glasses of wine at dinner with good conversation is about my level. 

I am fully prepared for somebody to say that JCC was as sober as a judge and that it is all just part of his performance. They can’t make me go for that though.

 

Passed Caring 

Only once before I remember in all my years

Has this sort of annoying thing happened to me

When you pay money to pleasure your ears

To listen to artists who’ve built their careers

Performing their written words to me and thee  

Eager to book your seats months in advance

Indulge yourself soaking up the inspiring word

Master poet plying his trade will my spirit enhance

Or by sweetest musical note or pretty dance

Hoping mentally to store everything you heard 

Joining a reverent audience there to be awed

Held from fast selling fought for seats tonight

Enthusiasm now damped by drizzle maraud

Where is the one we so hoped to applaud

Holds himself above his fans at such height 

High acclamation must have gone to his head

Eventually before us appears the tardy star

Looking the worse for wear it must be said

Now and then it seems he loses the thread

We forgive that delay when he drank in a bar