Raise the Hammer
Written and performed by Dwayne Morgan, Tomy Bewick, and Leviathan Grant
Word must be out on this production at Pepper Jack, judging by the full house last night. And judging by the hearty audience appreciation right from the first verse to the explosive applause after the last stanza, this unlikely theatre piece is pressing the right buttons when it comes to poetry.
And here's another Spoiler Alert! You won't be hearing any Shakespeare or Christina Rossetti, my dear readers. They, and Robert Browning, W.B. Yeats, et alia, are but ghosts lingering wraith-like in the dusty backdrops of that tiny stage; lingering, but smiling, even if a bit grimly. As in, "OMG, Look what we have wrought!"
But poetry it is what these testosterone pumped guys bring to their performance. Think maybe Leonard Cohen or Earle Birney, perhaps. Irving Layton, of course. You will be provoked and startled, blasted by energetic delivery and moved by some tenderness you'd never expect.
There will be laughter, and believe me, a tear or two. And a bit of language, you know what I'm saying?
It's all created in the pretext of a rehearsal for a poetry show, Morgan, Bewick, and Grant are just three of the guys but they've got to tell you, you can say you hate poetry, but when there's the poet in you, man, you just have to let it out. So be surprised, because that's what this show is all about: the suddenly and wonderfully unexpected happening.
Turn off the ball games and leave the transmission repairs for later, tell the little lady you're going out with boys for a while. Or better yet, ask her if she'd like a night out with boys herself, eh? The rewards will be worth it, fellas.
There's a show at 6 pm tomorrow, Saturday July 25th, and one more after that, on Sunday, July 26th, at 3pm. Performances are at Pepper Jack Café.
TNgM
By Fringe President (registered) - website | Posted July 31, 2009 at 23:16:37
Lovely review Tom...
I too enjoyed this show very much...
B
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