A wonderful if sobering event

Mud, Blood and Endless Poetry – Dr Jessica Meyer

House Event – Sunday 23 March

Richard Wilcocks writes:

It was revelatory: few in the audience in my front room knew much, if anything, about the poets who were the focus of  Jessica Meyer’s talk. Wilfred Owen made an appearance, but with the little-known, seldom-analysed The Chances, which was written at Craiglockhart and published posthumously in 1919 in Wheels. Written, as was so often the case, at a time when the literate officer classes tried to adopt the accents of the less-educated horny-handed sons of toil, in a nearly-accurate version of the dialect of working-class London, the poem deals with what was known as shell-shock:

‘E’s wounded, killed, and pris’ner, all the lot –

The ruddy lot all rolled in one. Jim’s mad.

Jessica Meyer knows plenty about shell-shock. Her brilliant, well-researched article on the subject is in the recently-published Stories from the War Hospital (available  from headingleyhospital@gmail.com) in which she makes it clear that she links it with her ongoing research into masculinity in the war.

‘Woodbine Willie’, a padre who originated in Leeds (Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy‘s father was vicar of St Mary’s in Quarry Hill) preferred a similar dialect for To Stretcher Bearers, whose heroic activities are well-documented, incidentally, in Wounded by Emily Mayhew, our guest of last week. Kennedy’s Anglican Christian convictions are made apparent in the final lines of his vivid, dramatic poem:

‘Ere we are, now, stretcher-case, boys,

Bring him aht a cup o’ tea!

Inasmuch as ye have done it

Ye have done it unto Me.

Ewart Alan Mackintosh (killed in action 21 November 1917 aged 24) wrote In Memoriam in something like his own voice, that of a humane, caring officer addressing a father:

Ewart Alan Mackintosh

You were only David’s father,

But I had fifty sons

When we went up in the evening

Under the arch of the guns,

And we came back at twilight –

O God! I heard them call

To me for help and pity

That could not help at all.

I Have a Rendezvous with Death by Alan Seeger (yes, there is a link - he was Pete Seeger’s uncle), who died as a member of the French Foreign Legion in the fighting around Verdun, is a poem well-known in the United States, but not here. Procreation, love and happiness is contrasted with death and destruction to great effect by a poet who knew what was surely coming to him:

Alan Seeger

God knows ‘twere better to be deep

Pillowed in silk and scented down,

Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,

Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,

Where hushed awakenings are dear…

But I’ve a rendezvous with Death

At midnight in some flaming town,

When Spring trips north again this year,

And I to my pledged word am true,

I shall not fail that rendezvous.

Ford Madox Ford has come back into fashion, arguably, because of Parade on television, but an excerpt from his Footsloggers, which deals with love of one’s land and our relationship with the State in wartime, was new to all except one in the room. Haunting memories of a particular place which come to an officer in the trenches (a filthy rat-infested ditch) are the subject of From Steyning to the Ring, by Lt. John Purvis, and Simon Armitage deals with the soldiers who survive in his 2008 poem The Not Dead:

We are the not dead.

Neither happy nor proud

with a bar-code of medals across the heart

nor laid in a box and draped with a flag,

we wander this no man’s land instead,

creatures of a different stripe – the awkward, unwanted, unlovable type –

haunted with fears and guilt,

wounded in spirit and mind.

So what shall we do with the not dead and all of his kind?

Simon Currie adds:

I thought you and Jessica Meyer provided a wonderful if sobering event. I read yesterday two of the poems to our Shakespeare-plus-poetry group at Harrogate theatre and the people were bowled over.

Dark Threads

Dark Threads - Jean Davidson
Headingley Oxfam Bookshop - Tuesday 25 March

Gail Alvarez writes:

It is for another to write a fuller account of the excellent evening in Oxfam Books with Jean Davidson talking about her experiences in High Royds, but whilst there I cast my eye along the shelves.

I was struck by the quality of the bang-up-to-date books on show.  We often bemoan the loss of the independent bookshop but we have our own Aladdin’s Cave for the discerning reader right here in the heart of Headingley.  How could I have forgotten?  Do I need to use online searches for my book choices and then one-click to buy them?  No; volunteers will give advice on the backlist of authors or similar books on favourite topics. Fewer visits to the ‘Jungle’ and more to a real bookshop for me!

Expressive intensity

                                                          Photo: Sally Bavage

Guest Poetry Evening - Heart Café

Thursday 7.30pm 20 March

Doug Sandle writes:

The Heart café with daffodils and night light candles on every table was a cosy atmospheric venue for the annual headline guest poetry event of the LitFest. A full house was introduced to Yorkshire poet John Wedgwood Clarke and to the National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke. As was remarked – with a LitFest event still to come entitled A Pair of Sandles, we were not expecting also to feature a pair of Clarkes! The event opened with our usual format of a five minute taster from each of our guests – of which Gillian joked that it would give an opportunity for the audience to decide whether to stay or not – but of course after the taster session no-one left and all remained for what was to be an enthralling and intensely evocative evening from two poets whose respect for and craft with language and the expressive intensity of their descriptive and metaphorical use of words was spell binding.

John’s work reflected his interest in sea swimming and the relationship between swimmer and sea and his poetic exploration of the coastal land and sea scape of the East Yorkshire coast.  His careful reading enabled each word, each pause and each phrase to echo with meaning to convey a basic human and yet spiritual encounter with sea, shore and coast and an evocative expression of both a specific and universal sense of place, and of its life and narratives.

Gillian read with an engaging easiness that lulled the listener into an encounter that was an intense expression of her poetic response to nature and landscape (especially that which was winter sharp and ice cold), and the narratives, lives, and events they and their seasons framed. Often intensely descriptive, her poetry’s sensuous and sensory imagery drew us into the deeper resonances of their narratives revealing a very humane respect for and love of life.

Audience Comments

1.     Really good evening as ever – congratulations on organizing these memorable evenings esp. getting Gillian Clarke at such short notice. Candles and flowers, really good atmosphere.

2.     Excellent.

3.     Two fine poets. And HEART did it well.

4.     A first-class event. Both poets were on top form. John Wedgwood Clarke’s command of language is impressive and Gillian’s poetry is lovely, lyrical and full of beautiful imagery.  

5.     Brilliant! These two poets complemented each other perfectly. A rare opportunity to experience famous poets like Gillian Clarke in intimate surroundings – small number audience.

6.     There was a delightfully all-embracing atmosphere. Both poets were outstanding as speakers (vocally) and as communicators. The overall organisation of the event was superb.

7.     Two very different poets. Inspirational, relaxing, & stimulating. A really excellent evening.  

8.     Very entertaining and inspiring.

9.     Good sound system!! Excellent poetry – clear reading!! Welcoming, friendly venue!! Very good!!  

10.  Wonderful – but John Clarke was somewhat overshadowed.

11.  I could listen to Gillian Clarke read and speak all day! I love the format of anecdote and poem, as it (anecdote) adds an extra dimension to the meaning of the poem. Carry on with the poetry please!  

12.  Really good evening – very inspiring.

13.  Excellent evening. Terrific atmosphere created by these two poets. Relaxed and without any kind of poetic pomp, they riveted the audience. Thanks to Headingley LitFest for this event.

14.  J.W.C. enjoyed poems. Would have liked 15 mins for questions to learn more. G.C. – generous sharing of the back-stories of her poems. Gentle humour. Wonderful poetry. More!  

15.  Thoroughly enjoyed both. A brief question and answer session with each would have been great.

16.  Such a privilege to be in the company of such an amazing woman.

17.  John was a good choice for a Leeds audience – we recognised so much of the area and empathized with his emotions. Gillian’s poetry was sensual and almost mythical. An inspirational evening!

18.  Really good quality poetry and well read, with two important poets. Nicely compèred by Sheila and Doug, and the length of the evening was just right.

19.  I thought that both poets were very good and I particularly enjoyed John’s coastal poetry.

20.  Fab readings. (Fridges a bit noisy). Great opportunity to hear memorable words.  

21.  Very special and evocative.

22.  Nice balance between the two poets – good to have a regional voice as well as a ‘national’ poet – both very good. Nice relaxed atmosphere – and great that it cost only £6 – very good value.

23.  A privilege to hear two poets of such quality in one evening. Well done to the Headingley LitFest for getting them to read their work.

24.  Delightful evening! What a privilege to hear Gillian Clarke – a real coup for the LitFest to bring her to Leeds.

25.  Enjoyed both poets very much. So evocative of place and memory. Made me want to experience those places. I have experienced them through their words

26.  1. Lovely venue – warm, relaxing, comfortable with welcome refreshments available. 2. Successful structure – nice introductions, and a welcome interval. 3. Good speakers – Gillian Clarke was exceptional. I would like to have a hug from her one day. 

A friendly and conversational tone

Wednesday Evening 19 March –HEART

Helen Burke – Leeds Combined Arts partnership event.

Doug Sandle writes:

Leeds Combined Arts was formed in 2006 and organises monthly poetry readings, arts events and projects. Founded in the former old Headingley Community Centre its monthly meetings now take place at HEART. The main aims of LCA is ‘to provide workshops and events in schools, theatres, local community centres and other organisations and to encourage and create opportunities for members and the wider community to participate in a variety of arts related events and activities’. LCA has regularly held partnership events with the Headingley LitFest and this year the writer, performer, artist and poet Helen Burke was featured reading her own poetry.

As well as providing a colourful display of her own expressive art work and original textile designs, Helen delivered her poetry within a friendly and  conversational tone that is both intimate and accessible and which, perhaps paradoxically, added to its emotional potency and expressive intensity. As feedback from the attentive audience confirmed, her work, which draws upon her own personal experiences and encounters, is “thoughtful, thought provoking and moving” and evidence of a “wonderful imagination”. Her work can also be engagingly humorous - as with her popular poem about a French cat encountered in Paris that is cleverly observed and amusingly characterised much to the delight of the audience. 

Helen’s impact was summed up by the feedback comment of one audience member who in describing it as an ‘excellent performance’, tellingly revealed that he/she ‘had never been to a poetry reading before and really enjoyed it’ - now that’s just the kind of response that Headingley LitFest finds very gratifying – so thanks to Leeds Combined Arts and to Helen for a memorable evening.

Audience comments:

1.     Excellent event. Entertaining. Intelligent. So much so that Helen is booked to appear at ‘Poetry by Heart (in partnership with HLF) in March 201.

2.      Excellent event. Very entertaining poems. Lovely evening.

3.     Loved every word. This is the second time I’ve seen Helen perform now; I am a big fan of her poetry.  

4.     Very lively. Entertaining. An excellent human being of great humour & powers of insight.

5.     Enjoyable evening in a friendly comfortable atmosphere.

6.     Helen has some very unusual poetry, some very thought provoking. 

7.     Wonder food for the soul.

8.     As always, Helen’s work is thoughtful, thought provoking, funny and moving. A wonderful imagination – lovely to have the chance to hear her in solo performance.

9.     Good event, right-sized room. Interesting mix of poetry & paintings/prints/textiles, verbal and visual. Good to have short tea break.

10.  The LitFest as a whole has been great so far, and I especially enjoyed Helen Burke’s reading at the LCA event.

11.  Excellent performance. Just the right length. Have never been to a poetry reading before & really enjoyed.

12.  A very enjoyable evening.

13.  Totally amazing.

14.  Very good poet reading some very interesting and funny poetry as well.

15.  Very entertaining and good fun. Excellent performance from Helen.  

16.  The length of the programme felt just right, and Helen’s poetry was great, and well defined between the interval.  

17.  Great. Engrossing. Captivating. 

The way theatre should be

Echoes of War - partnership event with Theatre of the Dales

Saturday 22 March 7.30 pm

New Headingley Club

Sally Bavage writes, with help from audience commentary:

Stuart Fortey

I first started to write this blog after coming home from a wonderful evening of thought-provoking drama, but realised that I had so many images and lines swirling in my brain that it was far better to write after reflection.  These two plays, scripted by our local gifted playwrights Stuart Fortey (On Scarborough Front) and Peter Spafford (The Edge of the Forest), were wonderful, engaging stories, [which] drew me in and made me want to know more/wonder what happened next.  Me too.

Three actors play in two time frames with one theme – the dilemma of how to find what you value in yourself.  In the first play, a shell-shocked Wilfred Owen eventually volunteers to go back to the front; he sees writing as an act of atonement and knew that he needed to overcome his reputation of cowardice in order to give his work weight and credence. The work lives on, of course; he didn’t and his parents received his death notice on November 11^th, 1918.  Poetic.  The second play, a longer and more complex piece, has a character called Robert, a disturbing and destabilising influence on those around him, who is both a rather unctuous modern estate agent chasing a sale from a pair of siblings and Robert Frost the American poet who influences Edward Thomas, at 37 approaching middle age, to volunteer and leave his wife and three children. Both Roberts see words and images as means to an end – their end – and it is the Roberts who survive. Did Owen really want to use the front line as inspiration for his poetry?  Did a depressed and doomed Thomas go to war because he was bored?  

Peter Spafford

On Scarborough Front was a gripping two-hander with Stuart Fortey, both scriptwriter and Lieutenant-Colonel Gray, and Will Rastall as the gifted but tortured Wilfred Owen.  Gripping...  Spellbinding... (that word again). Powerful... Highly imaginative... The audience were glad of the interval to gather their thoughts and emotions for the second half.

The Edge of the Forest was written and performed by Peter Spafford, who plays Mev/Edward Thomas.  It allows Beth Kilburn as Beth/Helen Thomas to once again display her range for sympathetic characterisation and sublety.  Will Rastall plays Robert/Robert Frost with beguiling charm that segues into mind-game manipulation. 

Afterwards, the audience lingered long to discuss and savour the nuances of plot and character with the cast and each other, belatedly filing out into the cold evening exuding much warmth for the acting and the superb quality of the drama to which they had borne witness.  As one audience member commented: I had thought - £6 for some amateur thing!  Not sure I’ll come - but was worth every penny; the stories will stay with me.  Will tell friends about it – so glad all this is on my doorstep!

Beth Kilburn

Our thanks are due to the New Headingley Club for allowing us such generous rehearsal time, to volunteer Tom Stanley from Leeds University who came along to help with the organisation and, of course, to the Theatre of the Dales who once again provided new work for Headingley LitFest of such high quality. For more information visit www.theatreofthedales.co.uk1 or ring David Robertson on 2740461.

Other audience comments – from many all so very positive - include:

Great to have two splendid but very different local playwrights in action being heard.  An excellent programme, beautifully performed.  Well worth putting on and much more important than merely a Headingley triumph.

A complex play despite the small cast which skilfully switched between characters very well.

Absolutely riveting, powerful performances and very moving.

A brilliant moving evocation of the effects of war.

I was enormously impressed by the quality of the writing and acting – this was my first LitFest event.  I will certainly come to more.

Two very different plays, both highly imaginative and very interesting ‘takes’ on a familiar subject. Great acting made for an excellent evening.

It is still very relevant to question what ties us emotionally to place and time, and whether war is an effective way of resolving differences.  Unfortunately, the question has to be asked by both sides to a dispute.

Brilliant, engrossing from the start.  The way theatre should be.  Skilled and audible.

An evening which deserves to be repeated many times during this year of commemoration.

Each play was spellbinding – each powerful with its own essence.  Authentic is the word that comes up immediately after they aired.  A sense of depth and experience that shakes me – they each hold the reality of the effect of war.  I know more about it now – even though I thought I did before.

All the right funny voices

Ridiculous Witches - Sarah Shafi
Headingley Library - 11am Saturday 22 March

It was just the right size of audience for a reading of the latest in the Ridiculous Witches series by local children's author Sarah Shafi, thirty people including parents. The children showed great interest and enthusiasm as the author adopted all the right funny voices for The Odd-legged Crashing Witch of Leeds and showed the startlingly brilliant illustrations by Tony Husband, though you would have needed brilliant eyesight to see them from afar. No matter, most of the audience seems to have become equipped with a personal copy at the end of the session.