A Strange PASTA

There have been some incredibly tasty helpings of PASTA over the years, and last night’s was up there with the best of them. It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that a room packed with poets had plenty to say on our first-half theme of ‘sheer unspeakable strangeness’ but, if we’d ever been minded to question their enthusiasm and collective skill before the night started, our doubts would have been well and truly put to bed by the interval, when everyone in the room caught our breath and marvelled at what we’d just heard.

We started with musings on Why are we here? Where is here anyway? and moved on via the. duck-billed platypus, Oliver Sachs, grief, men staring at goats, bizarre bus journeys (though not men staring at goats on bizarre bus journeys), pizza toppings, odd friends, psychedelics, the mystery of class, and more. We heard from old friends and new voices, and were treated to comic poems, serious pieces, and everything in between. Each of them was a joy to listen to. Bravo, one and all!

The second half was every bit as good, by the way. But the first half… wow!

If you were there Tuesday night and enjoyed the evening (and why wouldn’t you?) or if this review has piqued your interest and you fancy popping along to one of the West Mids’ friendliest open mic nights, then the next helping of PASTA is in the Arena Theatre on Tuesday May 19th, when the first-half theme will be ‘setting the world on fire’. Please leave matches and accelerants at the door.

Before that date, we’ve two other excellent events for your delectation and delight.

On Sunday May 3rd, Yes We Cant brings headliner Andrea Mbarushimana (Coventry poet laureate) and ‘Alf Ender David Calcutt to our new venue at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton city centre, with ten open mic poets completing the line-up (five slots bookable in advance, five on the door on the night). Please note that this will be a purely in-person event – Yes We Cant will be alternating between purely in-person and purely online events from here on, so June’s event will be on Zoom.

On May 12th we’re back at the Arena Theatre once more with Arena Nights, where we bring a full-length Fringe show to Wolverhampton. In May, this will be Rachel Sambrooks’ show Phoenixing. The audience will also be treated to a ten-minute excerpt from a work in progress, with an opportunity to give feedback (one of the unique elements of this night), and there are open-mic slots for anyone delivering their piece from memory. This is a PAYF event, with all donations going to the headline act, and it’s well worth putting in your diary.