Tram Number Four!

"Welcome to the Poetry Tram!"

The voice is welcoming, hearty and a great introduction to our shared journey as part of the Mudfest adventure Party to open the festival. Connecting the VCA to the Parkville Campus via the tramway was inspired and to have not one tram but five of them - each with different performers was ambitions and ultimately very, very successful. Everyone was buzzing with their different experiences in the Mudclub afterwards.

Bronwyn Lovell and Darren Parker have a wonderful rhythm to their words, self-described beat poets they performed admirably on the tram and indeed used it as both their inspiration and as part of their performance. There poem was epic, whimsical, poignant, hilarious and transformative - much like the emotions one can experience all on the one tram ride. Their spirited performance was accompanied by a improvisational guitarist weaving notes through their words.

This work was about performance, it was a show - but it was so fabulously integrated into the tram that it actually worked to its advantage as a work. As we were passing the Town Hall - the poet describes her first encounter with love on Collins St - by the time we reach Lincoln Square the tears are ready to fall as the final goodbye is uttered. This narrative was interspersed with asides and observations and a wonderful reoccurring motif of the DingDingDingDing of the tram bell.

Especially lovely was the reaction of the public to this pieces - one lady shushed her friends and didn't get off the tram because she wanted to hear the poetry. So that says it all really, this performance captured the tram itself and all of the characters real and imagined that were aboard. A captivating joy.

These poets will be performing at the Poetry Double Bill in the Mudclub 19th Aug and 24th Aug.