A chance to reflect with Fringe Spoken Word
This year’s Spoken Word category at Buxton Festival Fringe takes audiences on a (sometimes musical) trip into the past with time for self-reflection and the chance to consider life, the universe and everything.
In Woman of Enlightenment, Anna Seward invites the audience to join her on a stroll through life as an independent Georgian woman. Meanwhile in Fotheringhay: Mary Queen of Scots, Jane Collier celebrates the 450th anniversary of Mary’s first visit to Buxton with an audience with the Queen. On
the eve of her execution she shares her tumultuous life. Even further back in time, Celtic Swansong - The Gododdin brings audiences songs of glory and death from the time of the Celtic gods as written by the Welsh poet Aneirin. Laudable Pus (from Galen to Gallstones) takes a more light-hearted look at medical myths and mishaps with witchcraft and amputation! For those who like a little chill with their history, Twilight Tales return with The Lost Shoe, a story about a witch who lived in a Derbyshire cave.
More musical offerings include Oscar Wilde Fairy Tales from PJV Studio featuring the Happy Prince and The Nightingale and the Rose with original live piano music. Audiences with a taste for more modern music should seek out Rough and Rowdy Days featuring Alan Budge exploring Sixties’ and Seventies’ music with poems set to music ranging from the Beatles to the Sex Pistols. Meanwhile in And The Beat Goes On, The Glummer Twins offer stand-up comedy and music from the Beat Generation. Rock ‘n’ Roll as one of the themes in Buxton Spoken Words’ evening of poetry entitled Workers of the World Unite with Nature and the Spirit of Rock ‘n’ Roll Music.
There is plenty of deep thinking this year. In Freud, Erikson & Me, Andy Gilbert combines poetry and hilarity as he uses their theories to explore why he writes the kind of poetry he does. Michael Gibson asks How Mad was Ted Hughes? His show invites audiences to give their views on whether poets are possessed and if so by what or whom? In #StandUpPoet, Greg Byron delivers verses on life, the universe and everything(ish) via his unique 55-word stories. Elsewhere Shadow Syndicate’s Schism tackles truths about society and the anguish of adolescence. Tina Sederholm (aged 54) has worked out that life is not all about winning trophies. In This is Not Therapy she offers audiences the chance to find out how else you can measure success. Journeys from Chapel Arts Creative Writing Group explores the
theme of Journeys from the daily commute to foreign travel or adventures of the mind.
Stephanie Billen, Fringe Marketing Officer, says: “This is a bumper year for our spoken word category. We are thrilled to see so many varied entries offering something to appeal to all tastes.”