I first saw Ross Sutherland and Roddy Lumsden attempt this at Homework. The poets bring all their stuff on stage with them, armed with as many collections as they have. The first poet choses a poem, performs/reads it and the other poet has to respond to that in some way. Yes, you get a bit of shoe-horning (“He mentioned a cat in passing, now my cat opus in ottava rima”) but the result is a lovely, meandering trip through interesting and off-beat pieces the poets don’t usually read. I did with Phil Jupitus in Laugharne last year and loved the experience.
So we’re bringing the POETRY BATTLE to Edinburgh. Actually it’s more of a Royal Rumble. Elvis McGonagall, Rob Auton, John Osborne, Jemima Foxtrot, Johnny Fluffypunk and me will battle it out tonight (Monday 17 August.) There are no winners, unless its THE AUDIENCE!
And what’s more it’s in the gorgeous confines of Paines Plough’s Roundabout – the world’s first portable theatre. You’ll find that at Summerhall. We’re on at 10.30pm. Tickets are a mere fiver. GET YOURS HERE.