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Our latest PASTA (Poets and Storytellers Assemble) open mic night at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton delivered another rich tapestry of voices mirroring the plentiful colours of autumn. That’s because falling leaves was the theme for the first half. While the theme suggests quiet contemplation, transition, and your ears getting cold, our performers, as always, used it as a springboard to dive into unexpected mounds of, well, fallen leaves.

Sure, we heard pieces exploring that transition from autumn to winter. Yet we also heard about “ghost trees,” and even a piece set in1960’s Cuba. Continuing the revolutionary theme of 1960’s Cuba, one poet decided to use a completely different set of stairs down to the stage. Every day it seems is a time for a new outlook on life. Kind of like falling leaves in autumn.

Following the break, the floor opened up for work on any theme, resulting in a fascinating collection of subjects and forms, addressing the misconception by some that vinyl records are just massive CDs, a poem with a devotional obsession to mushrooms, and a number of haiku (last month we famously had a haiku in the original Japanese; this month it was the turn of the moribund language of Latin to take centre stage in a poem – it all happens at PASTA).

We also had someone share work for the first time. More accurately, someone spoke publicly for the first time to share the work of another poet who was sharing for the first time. We don’t care how it happens – we’re just glad people are writing and sharing. The more people involved in that process and who get to discover the joys of creativity and sharing, the better.

Thanks to everyone who shared their work and contributed to this vibrant, intellectually engaging evening. The PASTA stage remains a place where any subject, from a falling leaf to a massive CD, can become poetry.

The theme for our next PASTA is “Creases” and it’s scheduled for Tuesday February 17th so you’ve got plenty of time to rustle something together.

The nights are drawing in, the air’s getting colder, and at the Arena Theatre, that can only mean one thing — PASTA is back, serving up another rich helping of poetry, performance, and just the right dash of mischief.

This month’s theme was HALLOWEEN, and the first half of the evening delivered everything you’d hope for: scares, fears, and a fair few memories from childhood Halloweens gone by. There were poems about ghosts and ghouls, strange sounds in the dark, and the kind of fears that follow you into adulthood. The audience threw themselves right into the spirit of things too — joining in with ooohhhsss and spooky sound effects whenever the chance arose. Someone even attempted a bat impression at one point. Let’s just say… admirable effort, but a little more practice might be needed before the next full moon.

After the break, the tone shifted — as it always does at PASTA — to take in the wider world. We had poems on the recent robbery in France, complete with brave (and occasionally questionable) attempts at the accent, as well as reflections on current troubles and the protest marches filling our streets. There was even a haiku read in Japanese, which sounded wonderfully impressive… though those who were there might suspect that Paul Elwell was taking a shortcut or two in his Japanese lessons.

It was, as ever, a night of warmth, wit, and words shared among friends — exactly what PASTA does best.

The next PASTA will be held on Tuesday 18th November, with the theme FALLING LEAVES. Expect poems of change, loss, renewal, and perhaps the odd leaf-based pun (you know who you are).

Whether you’re a regular or it’s your first time, bring your words, bring your ears, and join us for another evening of poetry, stories, and community.

PPP
24th October 2025

Tuesday night marked the very first Arena Nights at Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton – a brand-new collaboration between Arena and Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists. And what a start it was.

The evening began with an open mic session that encouraged people to perform without a script. It brought a real sense of energy and connection to the room.

We then had a ten-minute spot from PPP’s very own Emma Purshouse, who performed a crown of sonnets. It was a fantastic showcase of her skill – clever, heartfelt, and beautifully constructed.

After the break came a fringe show from Ann Atkins titled Not a Robot. The show explored what it means to be human in the modern world. Ann used props and projections to engage the audience in this gentle, funny, thoughtful one-person show, which resonated deeply with the audience – who absolutely loved it.

If you would like to have a go at learning a poem, story, or short monologue by heart for sharing, then Arena night’s open mic element might just be for you, these slots are bookable on the night. If you’ve got a longer extract from a work in progress, whether that be a play, or one-person show and you’d like to try it out then get in touch to book a 10 minute slot. Our next Arena Nights full feature one-person show will be announced shortly.

Arena Nights is all about developing new skills, new performances, and new audiences for the joys of fringe theatre.

We’ll be back on 11th November – so come along and be part of something special.

On Tuesday 16th September, PASTA returned to the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton with another evening of open mic poetry – and what a night it was.

The first half carried the theme of SUNSHINE. We heard everything from hardcore Black Country verse, to sunshine squeezed out of a lemon, to cosmic trails of stardust. Some poets stuck to familiar ground, while others stretched the theme in gloriously tenuous ways. As always, a rookie stepped up for their very first live reading, greeted with the warmth and encouragement that makes this crowd and event so special.

After the break, the second half opened up into a wider world. We had sharp observations on climate change, nostalgic nods to punk bands from Tipton, and one poem so striking in its take on today’s world that the audience left with a new rallying cry: “Vote Morgan Birch.”

It was a wonderful night – the kind that leaves you feeling like you’ve been basking under sunshine.

The next PASTA takes place on Tuesday 21st October, and with Halloween just around the corner, the theme is perfectly topical: Halloween. Expect tricks, treats, and maybe the odd scare…

This was the last PASTA of this season and our theme for the first half was “MYSTERY”. As usual our poets brought a wide mix of ideas for the theme. Yes, we had Sherlock Holmes. Yes, we had some spooky shenanigans. Yes, we had a look at what mystery actually is. However, did anyone expect Mr Benn would show up? Did anyone expect yodelling?

This is the thing about PASTA. If you give creatives a bit of space and a theme then you shouldn’t really be surprised at what pops up.

On top of some great spoken word we also welcomed back old faces who hadn’t joined us in a while. There’s a strong poetry and spoken word community in these parts and it’s nice this little night can exist as a place to meet up and share work. Watching old friends catch up during the break shows how important it is we all keep in touch.

Another strength of this night is the platform it gives to the new performers. After the break someone shared work for the first time. It left a lovely silence of contemplation hanging in the air along with a few misty eyes.

It’s safe to say one thing that isn’t a mystery is why PASTA keeps drawing in crowds. Great poetry and spoken word, a warm and appreciative audience and a safe space to give things a try. See you at the next one.

Last Sunday we were back at the Great Western for the third Yes We Cant since we returned to in-person events. It’s starting to feel like home, as we work out how to best make use of the space, and our audience reacquaint themselves with our very special poetry night. The room was packed – and so was the Zoom room, because this is a hybrid event – and it was a pleasure to see faces both familiar and new, because Yes We Cant is a social event just as much as a poetry one. Thank you all for coming.

Our headliners – yes, we had two this month – were Martin Figura and Helen Ivory, who’ve been busy criss-crossing the UK, and joined us fresh from a gig in Leeds and on their way to a reading in Worcester on Monday. After five of our open-mic poets had shared their work – and how wonderful it was to hear such a range of voices – Helen led up to our half-time interval by reading from her latest book ‘Constructing a Witch’ which explores the monstering and scapegoating of women through the ages. Compelling stuff, and highly recommended.

A break for half-time oranges, or half-time cobs, or even a half-time pint, and we were back for the second half. Another five open-mic poets covering everything from the seasons to self-empowerment to a rapper’s guide to gardening, and then it was time for Martin Figura to take to the mic. He started with tales of growing up in foster care, and took it from there, leading us through a spell-binding performance.

Both Martin’s and Helen’s books are available (for those of you who didn’t manage to snaffle one on the night) here. Us? We’ll be back at the Great Western on Sunday July 6th. Put the date in your diaries, and join us to enjoy more top-notch poetry!

What have a disco bike powered by Fun Boy Three, two impressions of Fred Dibnah, and Paul Simon got in common? They all made an appearance at PASTA last night.

Now, attendees might not remember Terry Hall riding a bike across the stage. They may even have been under the impression that the impressions were West Coast rap and cockney. There’s an outside chance Paul Simon was actually two separate people. One called Paul and one called Simon. But none of this took away from an excellent night of poetry, spoken word, and a sing song or two.

We started with some wonderfully muddled admin from our very own Purshouse. A reminder to everyone this is a night to relax, have fun and try stuff out. And they did. Our first half theme was “Wheels” so it’s no surprise Terry Hall turned up on his disco bike. We also had lost moons, great shirts, and a sing along. Special mention also has to go to Bill, who elevated himself from Poet Rookie with an excellent performance. We’ve got our eye on you, Bill. We predict excellent things for your future.

After the break Paul and Simon waxed lyrical, we had another song and we discovered just how much other poets learn about poetic forms from our very own Purshouse. There is no doubt, what Purshouse lacks in admin-based professionalism she more than makes up for with knowledge of poetic forms. Or at least the phone number of someone who knows about poetic forms.

There was no denying it was another captivating night of poetry and spoken word. A hastily drawn theme of “Mystery”; or possibly “Amateur”; is scheduled for our next helping of PASTA on 17th June. Who knows, next month maybe Martin Degville, the lead singer of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, will turn up on a toboggan. There’s only one way to find out. Come along.

PPP
21st May 2025