It’s a joke ting! A review of spoken word night Rum Punch
It is in the midst of the bustling streets of Soho, in the basement of Rudy’s Revenge, where a small room is prepared, packed with a few tables and plastic chairs, ready to accommodate the February edition of spoken word night Rum Punch.
Saran Green, the nominated spoken-word artist and guest host for the night, is fashionably late and introduces us to a fresh mix of poets, rappers and musicians, ready to go head to head for the Rum Punch Award.
The appetiser of the night is Sandy Foster a young woman showcasing her bizarre lyrics about a headless ferret and an alcohol-addicted mushroom man. I am jostling nervously on the edge of my seat, as I am not certain if I should laugh or cry. However, as it soon becomes clear that her songs purposely do not make sense and erupt into a hilarious climax, she has everyone in tears of laughter.
At a relaxed pace we move on to “the punch”, where the contenders of the evening have a couple of rounds to prove their supremacy. Moina, a dramatist, is the first to appear with a detailed poem about the different interpretations of the word “hair”. Unfortunately, her sense of drama is not well received and she ends at the bottom of the list.
Another young woman, who stands out from the crowd is Miss Debs. In a beautiful crisp voice she performs an emotional song about growing up without her father. She receives roars of approval, but to no avail as the jury votes for Dilemma, a female rapper with grimy lyrics about gun crime. She is undeniably one of the top performers of this live poetry night, but in no way does she measure up to the talent of Miss Debs.
The evening concludes with a short performance by Saran Green who shares with us a spoken word verse from her latest album. Her poetic descriptions of the female body are interesting at most, but fail to leave a deep-rooted impression. Her craft lacks originality and is the world really waiting for another Jill Scott?
As the spoken word night comes to an end, it is evident that the main idea of Rum Punch is to give younger performers an opportunity to try out their artistic aspirations in a supportive atmosphere. Do not expect exceptional lyrical performances, because you will most likely be disappointed.
