Poet Vs Pageant: A Torrent Of Torrid Verse from Telia Nevile at Tuxedo Cat – Adelaide Fringe Review

Tuxedo Cat – Rivers Studio, Fri 4 Mar In this torrent of torrid verse Telia Nevile boldly goes where no-one has gone before. Except of course Miss Congeniality… But this lady of letters has no pistol strapped to her thigh, as we plainly see. So why this modern epic poem in five parts (well, seven with the prologue and aftermath)? What is her mission? It is to bare her brains before the barbarity that is a beauty pageant. Nevile goes in with both sides of her brain blazing, knowing that she has to make the most of her feminine charms as well. She's taking no prisoners, and leaves a hefty body count in her wake. Despite her resolve to win, the gloss and clamour take their toll, and Nevile compromises her values at the final hurdle. Yet, without this struggle to emerge from the cocoon, the butterfly can’t spread her wings and fly. Here this princess of poetry - a well-respected muse of the Melbourne poetry scene - has emerged from her ivory tower and is mixing it with the masses, in the messiest mauling wrestling match between brains and the imperative of beauty for women. The humour is pervasive, but subtle, insightful rather than uproarious. But 45 minutes of continuous verse, yes, add word play to the rhyme, with only a few minor breaks – Nevile is certainly up for the challenge, but I suspect the audience would appreciate an occasional breather! It’s a sheer delight to be able to understand every word, and easily follow the plot, with its satiric wit and humorous undertow rather than the dense, almost impenetrable assault of words that is post-modern poetry. Clayton Werner Poet Vs Pageant continues at Tuxedo Cat – Rivers Studio, at various times, until Mon 14 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.