Vaudeville?

[Heather]

Oh my goodness!

[keats]

But on the bright side Marty, it was one of the funniest and most clever skits I have seen.

Neil

[warooa]

I still remember the look on Pixie Jenkins' face backstage when I pulled out the rubber fishing pants and the gaffer tape

[keats]

Haha. Bloody classic! I remember the look on Marcos face as well as if to say, how the hell are we gonna beat this! A draw!! We were ripped off! Got it all on video now if you want me to send you some of your spots or all of it, or did big Jason already do that?

Cheers

Neil

[warooa]

Nah got it off Jason meself .. . . along with your parody of John Williamsons' True Blue "Hey Cool Dude .. . .was it me and you . . . . Did ya Mum and Dad . . . . like a Cockatoo?"

I guess ya had to be there

[Hully]

- not sure if I need to be chiming in to this - but in my opinion 'Bush Poetry' has already taken a serious slide down the path of comic theatrics - The few poets brekkies and events I have attended are invariably frequented by those expecting a 'good laugh' ....which isn't to say that humorous poetry is not valid - but when there is a growing expectation that there will be someone on stage generally dumbing down themselves and their country with some "good old true blue ocker she'll be right fair bloody dinkum aint we just the the bushiest bushies struth sheila"...palaver ! - "and if that don't make ya laugh I'll do it in a skirt ! !" - and we have the gall to categorise that along with Lawson and Banjo ??.....is it any wonder that 'bush poetry' struggles for credibility??

I am with Glenny on this though judging from the rest of the thread, I fear there is little to be done.

h

[keats]

Hully, I take that quite personally. Groups such as the Naked Poets have done more for the promotion of Australian Poetry than anyone, dragging in new audiences, particularly a younger element.

Having never advertised myself as a Bush Poet, I have been to Breakfasts all over Australia. e.g. Boyup Brook (crowd 2000-2,500) Gympie Muster, Tamworth, Mud Bulls, Mildura, etc. etc. etc. and the crowd certainly are turning up for the comedy. And not just the comedy, but the original verse and performances.

On occasions a Traditional poem will be introduced to initiate the audience who have no interest in old australian poetry, but it is a great vehicle for this.

Costumes have been worn since before I began over twenty years ago. Bobby Miller, Charlie Marshall, Geoffrey Graham, Noel Stellard just to mention a few of our top performers and writers.

So many poets over those years have busted their guts to get audiences back into bush poetry and if Comedy has been the main vehicle for this, then that was what was required. We barely have any championships any more and those we do have at times will attract little more than the poets, their families and a handful of loyal locals. I know, I have judged them over the years and seen the demise.

But apparently you young folk know what the public want, which is probably the reason that a lot of our top poets are leaving the fold and in my case going back to music and stand-up comedy.

As for disparaging Marty here, were you at the Muster last year? Did you know this was the Poetry Olympics? (note the lack of the word Bush). Did you know the venue was packed out and fully advertised as a comedy show? Did you know he received a standing ovation for his performance?

Seriously wonder why we have spent so much time trying to promote Bush Poetry events to the public when others just want to sit around and nit pick about it instead of pitching in and helping out themselves, before the Traditional Poetry venues die out.

That's the end of my rant here. Again, I wonder why I returned to the forums.

Neil McArthur

[Bob Pacey]

Here Here Neil,

I do around three shows a week around the campfire during the grey nomad season and do a variety of Poems traditional, Funny, down right stupid along with jokes and skits.


I can get over a hundred people there at times and most always get requests for the funny poems they may have heard in the past.

I for one appreciate the effort you guys do around the traps to introduce people to the fold.


Cheers and Many thanks

Bob Pacey.

[Bob Pacey]

Clicked twice so got the same message up again.

But my views have not changed.


Bob

[Hully]

....more than happy to take my knocks if your noses are out of joint and certainly not attacking Marty - apologies if you feel that way Marty -(I think the Footy Show has more to answer for than you ever will - and I would be lying if said I haven't worn the odd - very odd - dress to parties)...Also more than happy to acknowledge your work Neil, along with the others you have mentioned - but I do not rescind from the point I was trying to make...

Accepting a low common denominator does not improve the name or description of bush poetry in my view. If we have increased the audience by dumbing down the product then I believe we have done a great disservice to Australian culture - Commercial Success rarely improves Art - and almost always has the entirely opposite effect...

I don't begrudge any man his income or how he chooses to earn it - but if anyone wants to whitewash the vast depth of Australian poetry into a vaudeville act called 'bush poetry' then I will share my opinion on that....Like Bob, I perform twice weekly here in Bourke (through the cooler Months) at campfire gatherings for travellers - and always employ humorous, along with a range of other poetry....but regardless of how hard it is to find the line - there is a line there, and once crossed, whether it be for a laugh, for a buck, or for sheer ignorance - it is a slippery slope back to claiming the high moral ground.....I would also be lying if I said I haven't crossed that line on occasion - finding your proper voice and holding true to it is never a straight road....

We are all lovers of this aspect of Australian culture - I encourage us all to continue to make it a rich and descriptive narrative of our country - not a slapstick, jingoistic parody of something that is truly good and wholly ours.

...again, apologies if I have offended, but my opinion stands.

h