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Last night we enjoyed the first helping of PASTA for 2026 – and what a feast it was! We’ll be honest, there was some concern in the PPP camp about whether anyone would turn up with an offering on the first half theme of ‘creases’, but the good people of Wolverhampton (and Birmingham!) delivered admirably. We had poems featuring pandas, underwear, folds in the space/time continuum, and why ironing your clothes doesn’t matter when the world is on fire.

The second half brought us song. We can’t think when we last had an acapella contribution to one of our PASTA events, but Daisy’s contribution was so good that we were graced with another musical offering just a few minutes later. Songs are like buses, it seems. You wait forever for one, and then they all turn up at once. We had poems from PASTA first-timers, and PASTA old hands, and the joy of them properly warmed our cockles on a dreich February night.

Dave Pitt was absent with a head cold. Hopefully he’ll be full of beans by this weekend, when we turn our attention to Wolves Lit Fest – there’s events for everyone, whatever your fancy, and we hope to see you there. And talking of beans… the theme for the first half of next month’s PASTA is ‘farts’. Thanks for that, Mogs and the gods of chance who decided that his would be the slip of paper drawn from the pint glass of suggestion.

We can’t wait to hear what you do with that. It’ll be suitably highbrow, we’re sure.

Steve Pottinger
4th February 2026

It’s the morning (very possibly the afternoon) after the night before, and we’re basking in the satisfaction of another splendid Wolves Lit Fest poetry slam. A fantastic night of poetry and entertainment watched and enjoyed by an audience which filled the Arena Theatre. We have it on good authority* that there were more people in that one room than have watched ‘Melania’ globally. And that they had a better time.

Our thanks to all fifteen poets who came from across the UK to take part – including the poet who stepped in off the subs bench at the last minute and made it through to the semi-finals. Someone in the audience said at the end of the night that the standard of poetry gets higher each year, and we’d be hard pressed to disagree. The first round included poets performing for the first time in a slam, as well as veterans and winners of dozens of slams, and every last one of them acquitted themselves admirably. The semi-finals were astounding close-run heats where any one of the six poets could have gone through, and then we had the final. And what a final!

Huge congratulations to our winner Glyn Phillips, runner-up Brenda Read-Brown, and Shrewsbury poet Michael Carding, who came third. Each of them bagged some incredible literary prizes (which they’ll very likely be savouring right now), and Glyn also won himself a paid gig at Wolves Lit Fest 2027 where we’ll get to enjoy a full set of his work.

Huge thanks, as always, to our judges – all volunteers, bless ’em, selected on the night. Our gratitude to the staff at the Arena Theatre for making sure everything runs like clockwork, and – above all – thanks to the poets who took part, and the audience who chose to spend a Saturday night laughing, applauding, and enjoying live poetry. We couldn’t do it without you.

* we may have just made that up, but the odds are it’s true

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.

Last night was the second run in of our new night at the Arena Theatre. Arena Nights is a PAYF event focused on learning performance pieces, showcasing new work, and is rounded off with the performance of a full fringe show, with all money collected on the night going to the headline artist.

After several poets dug into their noggin to recall and recite their work – including an excellent piece about a River Monster in the Tyne – we then had a 10-minute extract from Daron Carey’s play, “Last Orders.” This was a fantastic piece full of rich language and inventive metaphors. If you get a chance to see Daron’s work in full then remember, you only need one kidney. You can sell the other one.

After the interval, the main performance was John Biddulph’s show, Gallimaufry. The title reflects the content, which was a collection of poems and stories gathered throughout his professional life as a musician and psychologist. Highlights of the show, delivered with poise and warmth, included a poem that was both written and performed in Middle English, and a separate piece focused on the experience of tinnitus.

Next week we’re back at the Arena for the last PASTA of 2025. The dates for Arena Nights and PASTA in 2026 will be released shortly. So sign up to our newsletter to find those out. In the meantime, get some ten-minute sections of your new show ready, memorise a few poems, and maybe even polish off that script for the Fringe performance you’ve always promised yourself you’ll do, and we’ll see you in 2026.

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.