Image by Ryan McGuire from Pixabay
In Nottingham at the moment, spoken word events are popping up with more regularity than the spring daffodils. One thing unites them all and I’m not talking about a lack of funding. It is of course the open mic. This is an essential component of any spoken word event because it gives up-and-coming poets the opportunity to make that first tentative step into the public arena and learn their trade. For the promoters, it is an opportunity to draw in the numbers as the said performer is likely to bring an entourage of friends along to offer support.
We offer an open mic event at our LeftLion/Nine Arches Shindig! nights because we are on the lookout for content for the magazine and as a publisher of poetry pamphlets, Nine Arches may be able to take this a step further. Other events, such as Utter in London, afford the open mic slot even more prestige. Here, the audience votes the best act at the end of the night and they are then invited back as a paid performer. They can take this calculated risk because the poets are vetted beforehand. Although there are clear benefits to this, I’m a romantic. I like the spontaneity of people turning up on the night and that lovely feeling that comes with discovering a new voice in amongst the usual suspects.
Despite these many benefits, it is about time three simple house rules were laid down about poetry etiquette…
Number one: if you come down to perform at open mic, have the courtesy to stay for the whole event. Yes, we know you’re a bit nervous but it means that anyone interested in your work is unable to pull you to one side and make enquires. I regularly go ‘poetry poaching’ to find acts. John Marriott was recently nicked from a DIY poets gig and now kicks off all of our Shindig! sets. The other reason for staying is you get to see a wide range of performers with varying styles and techniques that will undoubtedly help clarify what works with your own work.
Number two: Speed poetry. Trying to cram in ten poems in two minutes is a bit like watching someone at an ‘eat all you can buffet’ ram up their plate to the hilt. Less is more. It is far better to do two poems than ten as we then have time to contemplate what you’ve said. Use the saved time to give context to your poems and tell us a little bit about who you are.
Number three: Hogging the mic is an awful faux pas. When we say one poem, we mean one poem. Not one anthology. In addition to looking arrogant it may also mess up the time schedules, meaning someone else may miss out. Poets are bitter creatures and attack each other with spiteful metaphors. Don’t give them an excuse to wantonly attack you.
If you want to come and break these three golden rules at our next Shindig! night, then get down to the Jam Cafe on Sunday May 22nd kick off: 7pm. For more info, join our Facebook group Writelion Leftlion.
Alternatively, the Nottingham Writers’ Studio is putting on a Word of Mouth special at Antenna this Thursday with a live link-up via Skype to poets around the globe. It’s a free event and may inspire how you think about presenting your own work.