Gary Hughes - Speak Easy 23/03/10

The wonderful if confusing Gary Hughes, last months featured poet, also makes his return for the one year anniversary of Speak Easy. After a slightly migraine inducingly complex performance last month we waited with bated breath for him, and hes again brilliantly funny and enigmatic.

He opens with a pop culture reference I actually got, explaining that his first poem was inspired by the incredible Bill Hicks who is sadly gone from us. Hicks famous this is your brain...this is your brain on drugs routine has led Gary to its logical conclusion, resulting in a poem that turns our brain into trifle. This is my favourite Gary Hughes poem as its clever enough to fit into his high brow cannon, yet simple enough for me to understand whats going on. Fortunately his performances are always so strong that anyone can enjoy them even if you dont get all the references, and consequently hes always a high point of the evening. His second (and last) poem is more of a narrative than were used to seeing from him, but is just as amusing and irreverent. Hopefully Gary will return next time to confound us further.

Gary Hughes - Speak Easy 23/02/10

Closing the first half of the February Speak Easy is our featured poet of the night, Gary Hughes, who Sarah aptly describes as wonderful if slightly confusing. I was certainly confused, Ive never seen The Wire. But I hear good things.

I hear good things from Gary Hughes too. The first poem was completely lost on me, but much of the audience found it hilarious, and to be honest, the delivery was good enough for even the most po faced to issue a titter. The second poem also concerned something I wasnt quite sure about, but the wonderfully bohemian seeming Gary seems to assure us that were not really supposed to get just what it is that hes talking about. Name dropping Schrödinger rather than Shelley, he moves on through two more poems the explanation of the first of these makes the poem even more complicated the fourth and final poem once again returns to the theme of love which seems to run through the night. Its about desire, and its called Darth Vader Suit. Make of that what you will.