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APRIL 5TH 2007
We kick off the new season in fine style with a performance from leicester-based Poet Steve Rooney, check him out on the link to his myspace (click on the headline).
The theme he has given us for a poem for the night is "Reason"
Sue’s Comment:
The most laid back stand up I have ever seen. I saw Steve perform at Cheltenham last October. He held that huge audience in Cheltenham Town Hall in the palm of his hand, and none of us knew what to expect from one minute to the next. He had us laughing one moment, crying the next. I knew that I wanted to book him and I am thrilled that he has agreed to perform for Word Up in the Cellar Bar.
Jim's comment:
I think she fancies him...
APRIL 5TH 2007
1 comment:
Having seen Steve perform at Cheltenham Literature Festival I was
bowled over with his performance, and I am delighted that, with Academi
help, we were able to put on an evening with a poet of such a calibre.
He did not disappoint.
Stand Up poets are a totally mixed bag – manic, depressive, funny,
heartbreaking, happy, sad, totally in your face, or reserved, gentle,
and sensitive. You can never know what to expect. To find all these
qualities in one performer is rare.
When I saw Steve perform at Cheltenham I thought he was the most laid
back stand up I had ever seen. His performance style is gentle, but
the content of his poems is cutting edge, sharp, ironic, and so well
observed. His relaxed conversational manner lulls his audience into a
false sense of security. His poems cut through all taboos, all social
pretence.
Steve’s poems analyse our mundane daily interactions, examining the
values of a commercially driven society, and describing how the shallow
values of popular culture impinge on the minutiae of our lives and our
relationships. Steve had us laughing and crying from one moment to the
next.
His poem about his Liverpool background and relationship with his
‘white van driver man’ father and their mutual love touched the heart
of every member of the audience. His poem about trying to establish a
sexual relationship with a work colleague on strictly corporate values
made us laugh, but also made us think, and question the values we live
with day to day. Each poem was unexpected, unanticipated, and covered
new ground.
The cellar bar was an ideal venue for a poet with such an intimate
style. Steve Rooney spliced the subtle with the satirical, combining
cutting content with masterful use of spoken word, and understated
delivery. A rare combination. A rare treat to those of us lucky
enough to have seen Steve Rooney perform at the Cellar Bar. We look
forward to inviting him back in the not too distant future. Be sure to
be there next time.
Sue Hamblen
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