Little Fest stories and poetry at Penlee Theatre

It’s been a crazy-busy week for me so it was a real treat to head on down to Penlee open air theatre to chill out with Penzance Litfest’s Little Fest — the part of the week designed for children.

I coaxed two small boys (4 & 8) down there with the promise of monsters and disgusting poetry, and we weren’t disappointed.

First up, we caught the last two poems from The Emma Press poets*, Abigail Parry and Jon Stone — Medusa and a lonely minotaur. I could have listened all day — that one was for 8 y/o and me, while 4 y/o ferreted around on the bouncy castle.
(*These guys are going on tour — keep an eye out!)

Next, a story from Sue Walker, author of Penryn Press’s new children’s book, ‘Grim Rhymes’. The kids flopped out on the sunwarmed grass beside me (doesn’t that sound nice? OK, so one of them climbed on my shoulders and put his foot in the other one’s face, but you know, poetic licence…) and we enjoyed the retelling of a very familiar fairy tale if we only imagine “Snow” to be “Murky”, “White” to be “Grey”, and beauty to be stinky. It totally worked for us, and there were instant smiles. Penryn Press is a student run outfit in Falmouth — so local, local! And brilliant. We bought the book, two copies.

And then, performance poet Katrina Quinn — both her own and other poets’ work — and there was no sitting down! We were up, shouting out words, tapping our toes, and wiggling our bums — ace, ace, ace for the 4 y/o. And then a sprawl out on the grass again for some missing-bum love and a gorgeous riddle-poem about — (no spoilers, go find her, hear it yourself).

Fourth, a guy from Australia (whose name I didn’t hear — sorry, help?) about a boy who swallowed bubble gum that got stuck in his bum. For me, the bum of the day was in Katrina’s reading, but this guy won the 8 y/o vote and we are now having beans and bubble gum for tea one day this week.

And finally, a wrap-up by Sue Walker with a second story about some very smelly socks, and a family of hares who wouldn’t give up their tails.

We could’ve happily stayed on for another hour or two, but we had a party to go to (oh, this social whirl!), so we left Penlee Theatre (for, ooh, a whole day, because tomorrow Mr Stink is on at 6:30, YES!). It would have been nice to be in two places at once — but there’s always next year.

Well done Penzance Litfest for laying on such a lovely afternoon. Very chilled, very funny — magic.

Links:

@katrinaswords (blog) and
the missing bottom.

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Photos my own;
any queries please shout.