BLACK HISTORY MONTH POETIC EXPRESSION
Presented by Peterborough R.E.C.
October 27th, 2005, The Cresset, Bretton
Reviewed by Cardinal Cox
Write Dope on Pnuk part 1
As part of Black History Month Peterborough's Racial Equality Council organises a networking session with entertainment to allow various organisations to informally get together. Last year, I and some others read at this event. This year, the standard was upped considerably with an international selection of professionals.
First up was American actor Byrd Wilkins. His readings included poems by Langston Hughes (going to have to find out more about him) and a monologue from a play by August Wilson. To accompany him on the poems he twisted the arm of Ishmael Pamphille (about whom more later) who revealed a talent for improvisation.
Next was Amie Buhari and she has done a variety of stage, TV and film work. She had written a piece inspired by and evolved from Nina Simone's 'Four Women'. I would have liked to have heard more from Ms. Buhari.
Third was Kat Françoise and it was her who had made me want to come to the evening. With a fine reputation on the London scene, she won BBC3 television's first Poetry Slam in 2004, and then the World Slam Championship in this summer in Rotterdam. It is rare we get someone this good in Peterborough and she made me want to retire from poetry. Rhythmically, rhymingly, passionately, she wiped the floor with everyone I've seen for a long time. Retire? No, I'm just going to have to try and raise my own game.
After the interval (which included a free buffet), Ishmael came back to accomapny Neelofer Mir. Ishmael is evidently one of those talented musicians who can turn his hand to almost anything. His work has been featured in the films 'The Wild Thornberrys' and 'Duma'. Neelofer Mir, AKA Wildflower, of Persian descent, her work bridges the poetry/lyrics fields creating an introspective yet illuminating cross.
I hope you can gather that I enjoyed this evening, and I'd be more than happy to see any of the individual performers again.
© All work copyright of Cardinal Cox.
