Wednesday 19th December 07 - Off The Road at The Adelphi (1/3) By Michelle Dee

(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).

Jane Foster opened the show by taking a traditional Christmas poem and bringing it right up to date. So 'Twas The Night Before Christmas was set on a decrepit council estate with characters more attuned to Christmas spirits rather than the spirit of Christmas. Jane delivered the five minute piece with a cool ease and her references to local landmarks raised more than a belly laugh or two. Extra points to her for learning the piece in less than two weeks.

Sam Jones took on an ambitious project, an ambitious project indeed. He should have no fear with holding his head up high, in any creative circle you care to name. Taking the hard hitting psychological thriller Fight Club written by Chuck Palahnuik and turning it into a musical would have been a hard task for any respected writer. Sam made the project a solo venture and included a series of interactive voice samples and cues over a fifteen minute long performance. To do all this, write and play a series of different songs including the theme song Monster in my Head, in his somewhat unusual vocal style, to do all these things in just two weeks, shows the seeds of genuine dedication and drive if not genius itself.

I was after Sam (a running gag that I didn't tire of all night) I did a few poems as is my wont. There was the one about nude nuns (soon to appear on these hallowed pages of digital delights), When Frankie Met Prickly and I finished with a single verse with a heartfelt Christmas message written by the late (probably late wants to be cut out but she always late don't you think?) Elsie Creek, beloved friend and incredible creative talent.

CrackTown were after me ... and brought us a couple of their popular numbers including, if memory serves, Suicide Blues that contains the rather apt line due to track repairs in Rugby...quick somebody - not only are they skilled satirists and musicians, lo and behold, they are erudite prophets come to save us all from drowning in a sea of mediocrity and manure. Even more telling, was the reaction on the faces after the comments on the ongoing McCann mystery and the Manchester United alleged rude forcing hotel incident.

For those of us who have been privy to the brutal honesty, sung, spoken or within the written word that the two artists present their audiences it was applause, cheers and guffaws all around. Long may they lift the lid on all those nasty fetid smells the government would rather you don't get wind of.

Continued...Next Page (2/3)

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