Sat, Sept 9th-Waiting at the Ffwrnes!

'Waiting' at the Ffwrnes!

I had booked my spot at the Spoken Saturday taking place at the Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli. I'd rehearsed my piece and timed it to 22 minutes. A bit long for what the organiser wanted but she thought it would be ok as long as there weren't too many takers for the open mic sessions. Ten minutes was the normal time allowed.

I drove up, alone, through Meinciau and Pontyates, took my time, talking to myself as I went and strengthening my treatment of 'Waiting'.

Got there a little nervous but felt I was going to be ok. Fil Ziebicki, folk guitarist kicks the afternoon off with a competent performance of a self-penned song which sounded a little like a folk version of 'Freebird'. A sweet sound and a sweet man. Then the open mic started. I had been warned that I would get on in the second half so I relaxed into the open mic. A story about pickled onions, a poem about the injustice of Grenfell. I switched off and started going over sections of my piece. My time was coming. The headliner of the day Amanda Rackstraw was to finish off the first half with a Chinese story about salt. An excellent story teller who held her audience and was warmly appreciated.

Half time is tea and welsh cakes. Two tea bags per cup - no strength in PG Tips see! It is then that I am told did I want to do half my story. Oh bloody hell! 'No thank you,' I told the organiser. All afternoon I had been happy that I might not be doing my piece but when she basically said, 'It's not happening,' I was gutted. All preparation and adrenalin had been wasted on a no show. I sat down dejected and listened to Fit do another song or two. I turned and caught the organiser's eye and told her, 'Give me five minutes I'll do something.' 

I got up and talked about my friend, Anthony Jones better known as Trance and gave a sort of eulogy where I portrayed the lyrics of one of his favourite songs, 'Figgy Duff' as high poetry:

'Parcels of chocolate, parcels of cake
Eat anymore I'll get stomach ache'

I followed it up with the repetitive one line song that Anthony had written to a dum dum de dum rhythm, 'My..name..is..Trance.' Anthony has always been an inspiring individual and will continue to be so even after his untimely death. Sincere applause and laughter and a smile on my face.

Amanda tells more folk stories about S.E. Asia. I hardly listen, I'm thinking of Trance.

The organiser at the end comes on to me at the end and asks me if I could come up for the following session and do my piece at length. There will be a Dominic Williams performing. Dominic just happened to be the poetry partner of Trance. Strange coincidences but I promise you I won't take your place Anthony - nobody ever will - R.I.P.