Well - It’s all over.  And I have to say what fantastic fun it was too.  Totally exhausting which is why I’ll be back with two of my own shows next year and I’ll be acting in a 3rd.  The Highlights for me were the wonderful people.  I was performing at the Argyle Pub, (thanks to Dave for being a superb host) which was a litlle out of the way for festival folk, reviewers, agents and the like so I got to perform for more Scots than I think other people did, and people resident in that area. 

Two massive highlights -  the British Soldier who asked me where I got my research for “Against My Will” and then confirmed it was spot on, and the super lady heckler who shouted “I object to the BNP being likened to c***ts, they don’t have the depth required.”

The shows were always performed in front of a warm and generous audience, and it was nice that not many, if any people walked out, once they’d found out it was poetry and not comedy (although it is kind of!)

The review below is from 3weeks and goes to show that maybe Luke Wright was, er, Right and poetry isn’t a big enough form to tackle poli-tricks (see my Newsnight post for clarity).  Not too sure about the heart and soul bit in the review as it makes me sound like Simple Stewart the slow boy…

Stand-Up Monkey Poet! - Free -

3/5 Stars

Monkey Poet/Laughing Horse Free Festival

Matt Panesh does stand-up poetry, the content of which is fairly boisterous, but also always honest and authentic. It’s clear his heart and soul have been poured into this show, and that he feels passionately about the subjects addressed. Regrettably, I found that the format of his poetry often acted as a barrier to the true meaning and the humour within. Really well written and rehearsed stand-up has a poetry of its own: it thrives on its timing and sense of rhythm. The traditional rhyming poetic style used here was just a little clunky, and sometimes required stepping out of the poem for clarification. The show has plenty of excellent insights, I’m just not convinced this is the best way of delivering them.

The Edinburgh adventure is nearly over.  Crikey.  It’s not been bad either.  I bumped into Mark Thomas, congratulated Lemn Sissay on his fantastic show and had a quick chat with Kate Copstick, TV Presenter & chief comedy reviewer for the Scotsman.  I was thinking of investing a bit more money next year - bigger venue and so on but…why bother?  According to Kate, and I agree with her, the free fringe is where it’s at.  That’s where the producer’s and promoters are to be found.  Ready to discover New Talent.  Apparently - just like it used to be!!!

I have learned some distressing things about Edinburgh Fringes Financial side, and had my posters ripped down by aggravated board renters, also met some, for want of a better word, theives who call themselves venue managers.

I’ve also had a bloody good laugh sharing good times with great people.

Well - another audience review is here, this one from Katusha.  The reviews, inclusing this one are all 5 stars except the top one which is 4 :

Funny?Its side splittingly funny!This is poetry as you have never seen or heard it before, well at least i havent.The Monkey Poet was fantastic. Keeping you on your toes and throwing out different material for your feverish consumption. Plus he is not afraid to interact with you, you are really part of the show. Hillarious and grotesque all at the same time. Must see!Plus its FREE!!!

Hi Folks,

Well - the runs have dried up which is a great start - (keep away from Edinburgh Kebabs is the lesson I’m taking from that one!).  And the Edinburgh Festival is great too.  Audience numbers are good =- the venue is good.  I’m 12 shows in.  Below are all the audience reviews from the EdFringe site.  Had no reviews as of yet from the main media but frankly am not expecting them. If you’re at the Argyle Pub at Argyle Place then say hello -  Anyway here we go :

Hard hitting and comedic. 16 Aug 2009 reviewer: Charly Norton, UK This is how poetry should be done. This was a lively and energetic performance which mixed fabulous poetry with stories and comedy. Maybe I am biased because I do really love good poetry, and Monkey Poet gives good poetry. No subject is untouchable, and this show is highly charged in all the right ways. I was even impressed by the way Monkey Poet dealt with the talkers in the back that just would not shut up. I think the only reason that for me this was not a five star performance was that once or twice, words were momentarily forgotten. We all know how harsh I am! My vote: 4* First published at http://charlyandthefringe.blogspot.com/2009/08/stand-up-monkey-poet.html report inappropriate review

Get to it now! 10 Aug 2009 reviewer: cm, spain I truly enjoyed this show -it was painfully funny, and yet insurgent, stirring stuff. The monkey poet really got to the audience, and built up the tension well throughout the show. If the word ‘poetry’ makes you think of intimate, self-absorbed musing you’re thinking the wrong way: think Beat, think poetry slam. AND it’s free. report inappropriate review

Poetry and a Laugh 10 Aug 2009 reviewer: Judy, USA Man I had such a great time seeing this show. It had all the elements I’m looking for in a show. It had a lot of LOL moments. A drink in my hand and got more informed about life in the UK and of love and sex and politics. It was intelligent and beautiful and did I mention f**king hilarious?!!! Matt is quite the performer and his interactions with the audience make you feel like it’s just for you. Its free but I would have paid to see this. Get ur ass down there for a good time. I sure had one. report inappropriate review

a great comedy show 10 Aug 2009 reviewer: tn, uk a brilliant performer. A truly intelligent cutting humour that made me laugh till it hurt!! Not a fan of poetry myself, but this is in a league of its own. Really refreshing to see something like this. And its all for free!!! report inappropriate review

A poetic Bill Hicks 07 Aug 2009 reviewer: AM, UK it was the first night of the fringe and my expectations weren’t that high for a free show, but Matt Panesh lifted the lid on a society gone mad with a brilliantly funny scathing assault of poetry and stand up comedy. Quite simply: do not miss!! (And buy this man a drink)

IndieVisual are producing a DVD of the Edinburgh warm-up show recorded on July the Fourth of this year. A very intimate gig it was too at An Outlet, a great coffee shop on dale St. All very Fringe like transfrming a coffee shop into a warehouse! The review of that gig can be found beneath. Thanks to Andy McQuade and Anjili for a fantastic show & a fantastic time.

CITY LIFE REVIEW - EDINBURGH DOUBLE BILL
4/5 STARS

By Matt Johnson

THIS event’s title suggested one of two things: Either I was in for an evening of Buckfast and deep fried haggis, or, I was in store for a couple of shows, varying in quality, with diametrically opposed content.
No surprise, despite the stage being located in a deli/wine shop, the latter proved true; two performances so different it boggles the mind how they found themselves sharing the same billing.
The venue oozed Fringe ambience, makeshift and intimate, with nothing to separate the performers from their audience.

The first act ‘Pigeon Man Apocalypse’ brought Andy McQuade to the stage to deliver a darkly hypnotic monologue, delving into the mind of Arthur, a boy abused by his mother, driven to the edges of reason and, ultimately, murder.
McQuade filled the space with eccentric, expressive energy, using his whole physical being to drive the disturbing story home.

After such intense, serious theatre, the second act ‘Stand Up Monkey Poet’ provided much necessary relief in the form of fast flowing humour and wry, satirical poetry.
Matt Panesh offered a hilarious insight into his perception of the modern world, providing a social commentary touching on nationalism, economics and Fleet St, give all an even handed bashing of wit.

Reviewed: Fri, 10 July, 2009

To celebrate the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Festival gigs I have put together a pamphlet of the Poems that make up the Welcome to the UK set. Also in there is Beauty & Cocksucker. The booklet is available via the site. Just get in touch (it costs a fiver to those that email me & £6.99 at gigs) Images & excerpts will be up on the poetry page shortly.

The very lovely people at Debt, whom were also at the Kuiperfest this year, have proposed that I release the upcoming album -War Crimes Action Man-with them. I agreed most heartily. The Debt Records Launch night is the 7th November at the DanceHouse in Manchester. I shall be performing on the bill, expected to play amongst a veritable genetic ocean of talent are the fantastic Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six.

War Crimes Action Man is scheduled for Release in December 09

Well, I didn’t really have an opportunity to cvhat about the Spanish Trip so I’m going to do it now. What a great festival. It is tiny compared to the likes of the Big Chill or Bestival but so much more beautiful man. It has been 13 years since I saw the Milky Way and Kuiper did that. No light polution. No electricity. No water. Fantastic.
I also met some truly great people. A shout out to them all, Clown Kings (see you at Edinburgh fellas), People big on Debt (see the following post!), theatrical ladies, men with big trombones. Fabulous! See you next year.

Thanks to Anna for an invite to a wonderful fringe. And to Stoon for the Review below:
BUXTON FRINGE REVIEW
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Tucked away in the ‘Spoken Word’ category and featuring a hairy self-titled poet may suggest an hour of genteel eco-friendly stanzas on the terrors of global capitalization and the usual suspects - far from it!
Matt Panesh does give us verse, but it’s seamlessly integrated into an hour of full blown comedy which slow burns nicely into a an ‘Adult Only’ roasting session…best enjoyed with a broad mind (and broader anal cavities). Fear not though if you’re a tad sensitive as partway Matt does ‘ask the audience’ whether they prefer the remainder of the show to be clean cut or the uncensored version…

Matt starts by welcoming himself to the UK by providing an amusing potted distillation of his lineage which crosses many foreign borders. Themes of integration and economics mingle with the Romantic Poets and join forces to render a hilarious, non pc portrayal of life today…as we know it!?!

Then comes the aforementioned sex part - it’s hardcore but pretty-in-pink rather dripping with bodily excretions (though they do feature). Walking such a taboo high wire is risky but Monkey P gets by on warmth of delivery and personality - there’s no ranting or calculated shock factor - just the honest musings of a likeable down n out with a hint of vintage Billy Connolly’s mannerisms. Once engaged it’s hard to take offence - apparently four people did walk out on the first night at The 2007 Indianapolis Fringe - I’m sure Matt apologized to them afterwards, as he did post-show to the lady who exited early during this show.

This is a gem of a show featuring a memorably engaging performer who’s naughty but nice with it - it deserves success next month in Edinburgh where it’s being re-titled ‘Stand Up Monkey Poet’.

On a personal note, it’s great to see a performer drink their alcohol with such relish.

Stoon

ARRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw the newsnight piece on poetry and politics- it infuriated me - everyone on it - the one point all agreed on was poetry’s total redundancy as a meaningful medium in the political sphere - just good for emotional self reflection - christ - what a fuckin depressing self mastubatory wanky future poetry has.  

As far as suitability of form goes - is it true that the radio is redundant after television, film after interactive video game and love after wank fodder on the internet? Of course not.  Just because there are different mediums doesn’t mean all of them aren’t viable, or should not be used. Viva la difference. 

Poetry is articulation and articulation is the carrier - not the message - it can be about anything and none of these literati said that - conclusion? well it’s offensive.

This is a rough poem about that program and a political thought at the end (what? perish the thought!) - I’m working on it for the Edinburgh show & it still needs some research.  I’m trying to factor in the fact that Dickens, the great social novelist of his day, also responded to the India Mutiny with the idea that the people responsible should be placed in camps and killed, 80 years later Hitler adapted this idea; I’m also trying to factor in the names of the great Chartist poets with the names of the people who did less well, some of the chartist poets weren’t well educated and their poetry was lacking in fine finishing - but not in content, what Duffy calls - honesty.  Also I need to build on the international angle - anyway - here’s draft one. 

UPON WATCHING NEWSNIGHT

Today I watched a program about Poetry

 & it’s place in society

4 experts were asked to reflect

and said pretty much what I expected.

“Yes - there is a burgeoning scene”

“No- Poetry can’t change a bean”

“Just remember the man who said

every word I wrote in the thirties

didn’t stop a soul

being killed at Auschwitz,”

Point,

and a good one.

How could Rhyme

ever stop undiluted hatred,

inhumanity, crime,

The whole idea’s absurd

after all, these are just words.

The Academes spoke freely

& the yoof culture countered,

Armitage disagreed with most

and planted the idea of servitude

to the final form.

Wright admitted he loved emotive

rather than virile stanza’s,

the hip-hop kid, Akala

looking at what shakespeare did,

compared it to the rappers

which is just the thing to tick the right box for a masters.

The lady from the library

said party’s used to be full

of people reciting poetry -

not tonight Josephine,

now any web search will see

plenty of those that can’t write - recite

and they’re awful, they all agreed.

NOT ONE OF THEM

NOT ONE

NOT ONE SINGLE FUCKING ONE

Said remember the Chartists

whose words were as powerful as fists

A hundred and fifty years ago

they were known as Anarchists,

Poets arrested, locked up for years,

for saying it’s wrong to be racist,

for saying “Yes - there are Two Tribes

(a hundred and fifty years before

Frankie Goes To Hollywood exist’d)

Two Tribes - Rich & Poor

& the poor wrote their poems

& their poems scared the rich.

Not because they didn’t scan

but because they foretold a power switch.

Poets arrested,

Writing poems in gaol in their own blood

Poets using words for the common good

Poets at the head of the charge

Poets doing battle

Poets getting beaten

Poets keeping their mettle

Poets changing Britain at large

Poets that should be crowned with glory

but the rich want the poor hero-starved

So newsnight didn’t run this story.