Ross Sutherland took us on a cleverly crafted ghost story pressing the buttons for the spooky soundtrack that added atmosphere. Then Luke Wright, the magnificent dandy, came on swaggering and captured the auditorium with a palpable energy that locked you into his crystal maze as you excitedly grasped at the words flying around trying to keep as many as possible.
A heart pumping, edge of the seat performance. Respectfully, Luke passed the baton on to the Wivenhoe Bard himself, the incomparable Martin Newell, who brought our heart rates back to seated and delivered ‘ChrisTmas’ through his beautiful rhymes and mellifluous songs – played so honestly on the grand piano.
My cynical, anti-ChrisTmas heart soared. The evening was then reliably and hilariously completed by Colchester’s Bard, Dr John Cooper Clarke…THE punk poet of poets.
I only got to the gig because of cancelled tickets and boy, was it worth it. Yet again, local artists making Colchester proud. I’m feeling prepared to wish everyone a very Merry ChrisTmas!’.
Sandy Armitage