Wondermentalist

 We’re going to Exeter Phoenix on Saturday July 5th. Isn’t it exciting? I’ll take that as a yes.   Bill Greenwell will be there, one of the funniest parodists and spoofers in the business, we’ll have comedy from Jerri Hart, music from Nomad Shuffle and some brilliant young Exeter-based musicians and Matt Harvey (that’s me, writing abut myself in the 3rd person for the sake of clarity and, um, insanity) will host and do an extended set. We’re going to be upstairs in the Voodoo Lounge, a great space, tickets are available in advance through the Phoenix Box Office 01392 667080.  It’s going to be so, so good that in my head I’m already hoping and planning for this to become an annual event.

In the audience at the April wondercab, I happen to know, because a) I invited them and b) I said hello to one of them on the stairs, were Kay Dunbar and Stephen Bristow, directors of the Ways With Words literature festival at Dartington, where we’re taking the cabaret on Monday the 14^th July, in the Great Hall. I can’t help but wonder what they made of it all, and wonder if they’ll tell me. I can’t help but wonder if they are a) pleased or b) mildly regretful that they’ve invited us to their festival and even if they’re c) thinking of a reason why it’s not such a good idea…

…but the reason for this isn’t misgivings as to the quality of the evening as whole – I thought all the acts and the dead poet slammers did us proud. It was the Empath Man script that may have let the side down a bit. Coming on after the historical 1^st-ever rendition of the Theme Song (thanks Graham Macey of Nomad Shuffle) I admit to regretting, as once before (as noted by Andrea in a previous comment) letting it all get a bit long and complicated. But there you go.

Postscript: A very nice phone call with Kay reassures me that they honestly enjoyed it and are in no way troubled by our impending visit to the Great Hall. How could I ever have thought otherwise. So please put Monday 14^th July in your poetry-planner or diary. The Wondermentalist is proud to be attending it’s first ever Literature Festival, Ways With Words… The Great Hall is very big space. Come along and, um, watch it.

I did Saturday Live yesterday. Two poems to write at short notice. It can seem difficult, but it used to be three. Everything’s relative. It’s not just time and space. Mainly time and space, though.

The first poem – no more than 30 seconds, please – can be about anything as long as it’s half-to-three-quarters-way topical. I always struggle to come up with something for this. I have to ask people: what’s topical? It’s another relativity issue. Anyway, I wrote about St Pancras. It’s exciting that St Pancras is thriving again, as an international travel portal. Well, I’m excited. I’ve not actually been there, although I’d like to, and I shall.

I toyed with writing about the Tutankhamun Exhibition that’s currently on tour. There’s a lot to be said about the mummified remains of the 12th ruler of ancient Egypt’s 18th dynasty, perpetually 19-years old in the public imagination, effortlessly glamorous, mysterious, still pulling in the punters. But no, I opted simply to praise St Pancras. It’s just over 100 words but it reads quickly.

We’ve all been where you’re standing, we’ve stood there, St Pancras
Stood empty and friendless, neglected and thankless

St Pancras – you know what you are
You’re a star.

I tried to make the pun of the last line a gettable option, but I’m not sure that I did. Nobody groaned. Not outwardly. If you read this and you know what I’m talking about, please tell me. I’d be grateful for any comment at all, frankly. I’m new to this. I’m not looking for praise, just human contact in the blogosphere…