Review: Fair Isle Death Metal offers thoughtful poetry with a comic twist

Sending a playwright to review poetry may seem like a risk, but Neil Laurenson gave a convincing account of himself at the Lych Gate.

And forget the Death Metal – that is simply the hook to draw the audience in. At its heart, Neil’s show is poetry, quietly performed through a diffident and self-deprecating persona.

The poems were mostly short, with some little more than verbal squibs, but they covered a surprisingly wide range of subjects. Comic observations about dogs taking an unnecessary interest in him while running, overenthusiastic boat trip commentaries and the awkwardness of small talk were balanced with more serious and thought-provoking material.

Neil also addressed his feelings about world events, including the ongoing suffering in Gaza and Lebanon. One particularly striking moment reflected on the horror of pagers being deliberately detonated in Lebanon, with a powerful image comparing a badly injured girl’s face to “the worst Picasso”.

He also spoke openly – and entertainingly – about his autism, helping to create a strong connection with the audience.

That rapport was clear throughout the performance, with laughter coming regularly when the material called for it. At times, Neil’s understated delivery meant some of the quicker jokes may have passed by those needing a little longer to catch up, but his relaxed style was very much part of his charm.

His quick wit and professionalism were also on display when a misunderstanding involving a reference to A E Housman was turned into a neat and spontaneous response.

Fair Isle Death Metal is a thoughtful, unusual and engaging poetry performance, and Neil Laurenson is well worth seeing.

By Jefny Ashcroft