David Hellens has been watching the development of the Southern Energy poetry series with keen interest. Would they be the usual mix of bad presentation, inaudible PA and dismal venue, or something with more edge and professionalism. He came away impressed by an electrifying evening of live literature.

Even the staunchest supporter of poetry readings must occasionally ask themselves why they bother. I certainly know why I bother. It's for nights like Thursday 28th November, when a relatively new organisation called THE SOUTH put on a quality event at the Open House (in Springfield Road) as part of its Southern Energy series.

With the theme 'Transformers', there were four readers and an open mike spot just before the interval. Plenty of opportunities for typical poetry reading unevenness you might think. Not a bit of it.

The evening kicked off with David Swann who managed that really tricky balance of being entertaining, but also emotionally moving. The characters he writes about talked themselves effortlessly into life. The poems from David's time as a writer in residence at a Prison in Nottingham were moving but also scary, the sort of poetry that's difficult to forget.

Next up was Martine Large. If I wanted someone to illustrate the benefit, and power, of understatement I'd go to Martine for lessons. Her poems are short but carry a high emotional impact. At the same time they are graceful and easy to listen to. Martine got some magic going during her set.

The open mike slot put Kate on stage for what was easily the most dramatic part of the evening. Her evocation of childhood in a Manchester school was quirky, direct and gripping.

The second half opened with Helen Oswald. She has the power to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. But she can also write love poems of enormous tenderness as the last sequence she read showed. Helen exuded the quiet but assured confidence of a reader who knows exactly what poetry can do at it's best.

Last up was Robert Dickinson. Robert has grace, wit and a command over language rivalled by few. OK, I confess a certain bias here. I've know Robert for a long time. But I think the enthusiastic audience reaction at the end of his set was enough to establish my case for his talent. Rather than bore you with superlatives, I would simply say: go and see him read, and even if you have already, the new work breaks new ground. He finished off an evening that would have been enough to restore faith in the power of poetry to even the most hardened cynic.

By the way, the whole series of readings put on by THE SOUTH (every Thursday remember, at the Open House!) have not only been hugely successful, but have filled a void for anyone who wants something more than standup performance and poetry slams, enjoyable though these events can be. There are several more readings to go before Christmas, so why not check them out?

David Hellens
30th November 2002