Stand Up Poetry Club

Norwich Arts Centre is, like so many other Norwich venues, a disused church that has been converted into an auditorium and bar- so it makes the perfect venue for an atmospheric night of poetry.

Tab Culture headed along, plastic glass of rose in hand to watch a selection of three female poets lyrically wind their way through break ups, mental illness and the end of the world.

UEA student Hattie Grünewald performs her poetry. (Photo by: Alex Valente)

The event was compered by Luke Wright, celebrated performance poet who appeared at Latitude last year, and he effectively warmed up the audience with an amusing (if slightly classist) poem called ‘Posh Plumber’.

The Tab was most excited for the first poet on the bill, third year English Literature with Creative Writing student Hattie Grünewald. Hattie, who is soon to be published by Nasty Little Press, wowed the audience with her poignant yet funny poems on such topics as replacing glasses with contact lenses, the first time you pull in a club after a break up and the sweet feeling of getting over someone. Her poetry impressed with its honesty and maturity, and it seems very likely that her name will soon be added to UEA’s long list of Creative Writing alumni.

Local Norwich poet Molly Naylor was next up, and her eloquent poems on mental illness reduced more than one audience member to tears. Somehow Naylor managed to make the ‘black dog’ metaphor, so tired and overused, sound original and fresh.

The main act of the evening was 25 year old Caroline Bird. Bird is well established on the poetry circuit and has published three volumes of critically acclaimed poems. Her performance was seamless, urgent and raw.

Her poetry ranged over love, feminism and the boredom of being alone. Bird’s work is the kind that is best appreciated on second hearing or reading, so we very much hope that she will return to the festival circuit this summer!

On a night that was positively icy, our cockles were well and truly warmed by the knowledge that we have such talent in Norwich. The Poetry Club is a monthly event and The Tab hopes very much to see more UEA students in its line up. As Hattie Grünewald says in her ‘Unintimidating Poem’, ‘I would leave my house in the snow for you. And that’s really saying something.’