Review: Blind Poetics, The Blind Poet,

Arguably, few genres have faced more ridicule or disdain than the spoken word. Associated with the college counter culture of the 1980s, the artform has been repeatedly branded as long-winded, maudlin and boring.

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However, since then, things have changed. With the emergence of young, dynamic artists Polarbear and Hammer and Tongue, spoken word has undergone something of a revival.

Last night’s open mic event, Blind Poetics, proved testament to the genre’s growing presence and impact.

An eclectic mix of students, bohos and patrons gathered within the Blind Poet to listen, and at times contribute to, the evening’s series of short stories and poems.

In the role of host was writer and performer Alec Beattie – who kept the show moving at a relaxed but steady pace, entertaining the audience with his short story, Alejandro.

First up and making a splash with an introductory poem about diving was “poet catcher” Andrew Newman.

The eccentric South African made the best of the performance space, standing on a small stool to deliver his humorous verse. He followed this with a trio of love poems, which fell flat due to their morose tone, before returning to form with an ode to fungi and midges.

After the first featured act came the open mic participants, delivering their material to varying effect. In particular, the charming Rachel McCrum stood out from the crowd, gaining much laughter and applause during her anecdotal piece on Zippo lighters.

Also making a strong impression, albeit for different reasons, was student and second feature act, Ana Magana. Her sincere homage to her Latin American heritage and Ginsberg-inspired free verse about Los Angeles evoked a genuine response from the audience.

As the spoken word night neared its end, it became apparent the focus of the evening was to give aspiring writers the chance to practise in front of like-minded individuals. With that in mind, Blind Poetics is an invigorating, inspiring show – just don’t expect polished performances.