Thanks to our Sunday columnist Dom Kureen for this review of last weekend’s event at Quay Arts. Ed
A sweltering Anthony Minghella theatre at the Quay Arts centre hosted a satisfying evening of spoken word on Saturday, as Buddy Carson and headliner Polarbear weaved intricate lyrical webs for a 40-strong assemblage to consume.
Local boy Buddy set the wheels in motion for an informal night of expressive wordplay, instantly at ease under the intense stage lighting.
A natural showman, his sophisticated prose, infused with titbits of popular culture, such as a light-hearted salute to Kanye West’s ‘Never let me down,’ was well received. This was a mash-up of sincere anecdote and flippant theory.
The engaging vulnerability presented during a duet alongside guitarist Chris Newnham helped to bolster a budding rapport with the audience; the poet articulately reminiscing about the difficulties he faced at school and poignantly deducing: “I am alone.”
Longer set please
Finishing with a rant about fractious xenophobia from an element of British society, Buddy’s set culminated at around the 20-minute mark. Brilliant as it was, another ten minutes would have added lustre, with the short performance never in danger of getting stale any time soon.
A twenty-minute interval then followed, with members of the gallery disrobing due to the muggy humidity of the setting, evoking memories of recent burlesque events I’ve been involved with.
Instantly likeable
At the resumption Steve Camden, AKA Polarbear, introduced himself and had the lights adjusted.
There was something instantly likeable about the affable Brummie, who explained that this was his first visit to the Isle of Wight, so he was worried about missing the ‘sea cat thing’!
The ode ‘Jessica’ relayed the progression of the artist, with humorous references to his difficulties at 15, starkly in contrast to the simple joys of being a ten year-old playing football in the park all day.
This was a finely tuned segment, which snugly shifted between phases, without becoming overly goofy in the process. The piece was bookended succinctly, with Polarbear transitioning from scared child to concerned parent – in essence replicating the role of his mother in the opening stanza.
Lively tempo and legitimate warmth
Referring to his homeland of Birmingham, ‘Heartburn’ had a lively tempo and legitimate warmth, with the words: “My city ain’t pretty, but I love it!” Stated in a booming call to arms on behalf of the second city.
Between poems there was a generous dose of insight into the composer’s writing process, as he kept a lively crowd captivated via a cocktail of lucid rhetoric and engaging benevolence, the latter further highlighted with the handing out of several vinyl cuts to those in attendance.
Receptive audience
Concluding the night’s revelry with ‘The scene,’ the London-based Midlander regaled the congregation with a tale of alcohol-fuelled regret, written after spending £150 on a night out, in order to essentially feel terrible the next day.
A mention of the teenage mutant ninja turtles deliciously wedged its way in amongst the remorse for good measure.
All in all it was a wonderful evening, with a receptive gathering appreciating the generosity of the performers. The only gripes were venue related, with the lights for Buddy Carson thankfully adjusted for the main act and an uncomfortable humidity in the arena.
The show itself was superlative, with an uncompromised legitimacy at the heart of the action.
Polarbear stated that he’d never before set foot upon the Isle of Wight, hopefully now that he’s been here he’ll want to perform on a regular basis.
Reviewer’s scores
Overall; A wonderful advert for the increasingly popular art of spoken word.
Buddy Carson 
Polarbear
Images: © Dom Kureen, Buddy Carson and Steven Camden
