Live Review: Rowan McCabe: Hard Knocks @ Durham Book Festival (10th October)

Billed as a comedy and spoken word show about community and connection, Rowan McCabe’s hour of entertainment did not disappoint and was perfect for a Saturday night.

Performing his new show ‘Hard Knocks’ as part of the Durham Book Festival Rowan, a new-ish dad, has written the show to go alongside his book ‘The Door to Door Poet’ which I grabbed a (signed!) copy of after the show. The book tells the story of McCabe’s travels across the UK, starting in his home-town Newcastle, where he knocks on the doors of strangers and asks them what is important to them so he can write them a personalised poem. The idea illuminates the contrasts and diversity of modern Britain and many of the poems in the show are from the book, delivered with empathy and humour.

Rowan genuinely connects with the audience and makes the show feel personal to the venue and the place, with an easy-going lyrical delivery on a wide range of topics from mental health to hip-hop snails. The hour flew by and the audience were clearly engaged and relaxed, as well as moved by some of the poems.

There were many ripples of laughter, not least when Rowan shared his love of the limerick, which inspired a trip to Limerick in Ireland. Arriving there, he hoped to find a resident who could name a favourite limerick, or to discover that people of the town got together and regularly shared limericks over a pint. He was disappointed to find that no-one there could tell him a limerick, let alone a favourite one. So, he wrote one – entitled ‘a Limerick for the limerick-starved people of Limerick’ and shared it with us.

What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday evening! You can buy Rowan’s book and there are still performances of Hard Knocks to be seen throughout November. I’d recommend you give Rowan a chance to change your mind about poetry and how relevant it can be to all and let in a little spark of joy and connection.