Open Mic on 16th October

Here's a great report of last Thursday's HighlandLIT (an Open Mic). Report written by David Goudie with input from Paul Shanks and Lilian Ross. Thanks to them all!

Thanks to everyone who attended a lively and thoroughly enjoyable open-mic event at La Tortilla Asesina on 16 October.

Paul Shanks introduced the evening as a space for people with a love of reading and listening to other writers and for anyone who enjoys the written or spoken word.

First up, Fiona Black read two very evocative poems reflecting, with a strong sense of voice and voices, on her experience of youth work in London.

Continuing with the theme of youth and young people, Catherine Rose McAleese gave us a powerful and uncompromising view of youth culture and classroom tensions in her short story “Without Control”.

Shifting the theme, Lilian Ross read a haunting short story entitled 'Far The Lillies Growe', from her recently published book 'Jist Sayin ', about an old man and the memories he is leaving behind, as well as a short poem; both with a lyricism and dramatic presence that seems to shine through her use of Doric.

Iris Perrin read part of a new story that is still a work in progress. A very detailed portrait of “The Lady on the Bus” emerged, and this, along with a sense of something haunting and unexpected about to unfold, leaves the scene set for the conclusion of the piece.

Paul Shanks read three linguistically rich and thematically diverse short poems: “Lairg, from the Manse”, “The Pelican” and “Nekyia”?

Sam Steele shifted the style again with “The Tale of Tomnahurich Hill” a fulsome ballad, strong in both meter and rhyme, based on a piece of well-known local folklore.

Morag Forsyth, a member of the Nairn Writers Group, followed Sam with two poems of different styles but a shared theme of looking back at youth: “The Deep Stream of Yesteryear”, and “Wee Wifies Rule”.

Finally, David Goldie read four poems on different subjects, including Greek mythology, and a “me-too” take on classic romantic poetry. These were thematically gripping, formally accomplished, and made for a strong ending to an outstanding series of readings.

Paul thanked everyone for coming and partaking of a “feast of interesting writing.”