St Ives Arts Festival heaven 2008: photos 1

So another St Ives Arts Festival draws to a close. And what a festival it was, taking place over the two weeks between Saturdays 6th - 20th September. As with the Edinburgh Festival, there's a plethora of events around the official one, and it's here that I like to hang out.

I got to play my second stand-up comedy gig at the Western's St Ives Comedy Club, MCd this time by the jolly Matt Price who keeps order with a steel fist of fun.

I also got to sing, recite poetry and even MCd the lunchtime poetry and music sessions in Norway Square while Bob Devereux was away, in between soaking up the sun on Porthmeor Beach and stuffing my face with Cornish pasties, Cornish clotted cream ice cream, and clotted cream. Did I mention there was clotted cream?

Anyway, here's a small selection of photos from a fabulous two weeks. I may have to post these in batches.

My video from the 2006 festival featuring Bob Devereux, Charles Shaar Murray, Buffalo Bill Smith, Rod Bullimore and others can be seen here

St Ives harbour at dusk

Just in case we forget St Ives is a working fishing harbour, here's a landing of mackerel



"The Old Fella", an old bull seal who follows the fishing boats and gets fed

Anna Chen MCs the final lunchtime poetry and music sessions in Norway Square, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September

Isambarde

Paul Healy, Rod Bullimore and Charles Shaar Murray

Rod Bullimore

Pete Low

Rachel Smith



Martyn Barker and Paul Healy

Norway Square, St Ives

Weird Sleeping Kittens

Steve and Linda Jones, and Anna



Dorcas McIntosh (looking like Lauren Bacall) who recited a poem and appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream on the Island during the festival

Paul Healy, Keir and Phil

Anna reads "Wreath Lecture"
(Wonder where all that clotted cream went ... If I hadn't been wearing such a stupid short top I wouldn't have had to crop the photo so ruthlessly)

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith

Steve Jones joined by Charles Shaar Murray

Anna's MC-eye-view of the lovely audience ...



Norway Square finale with all that day's musicians plus me and Linda

St Ives Arts Festival heaven 2008: photos 1

So another St Ives Arts Festival draws to a close. And what a festival it was, taking place over the two weeks between Saturdays 6th - 20th September. As with the Edinburgh Festival, there's a plethora of events around the official one, and it's here that I like to hang out.

I got to play my second stand-up comedy gig at the Western's St Ives Comedy Club, MCd this time by the jolly Matt Price who keeps order with a steel fist of fun.

I also got to sing, recite poetry and even MCd the lunchtime poetry and music sessions in Norway Square while Bob Devereux was away, in between soaking up the sun on Porthmeor Beach and stuffing my face with Cornish pasties, Cornish clotted cream ice cream, and clotted cream. Did I mention there was clotted cream?

Anyway, here's a small selection of photos from a fabulous two weeks. I may have to post these in batches.

My video from the 2006 festival featuring Bob Devereux, Charles Shaar Murray, Buffalo Bill Smith, Rod Bullimore and others can be seen here

St Ives harbour at dusk

Just in case we forget St Ives is a working fishing harbour, here's a landing of mackerel



"The Old Fella", an old bull seal who follows the fishing boats and gets fed

Anna Chen MCs the final lunchtime poetry and music sessions in Norway Square, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September

Isambarde

Paul Healy, Rod Bullimore and Charles Shaar Murray

Rod Bullimore

Pete Low

Rachel Smith



Martyn Barker and Paul Healy

Norway Square, St Ives

Weird Sleeping Kittens

Steve and Linda Jones, and Anna



Dorcas McIntosh (looking like Lauren Bacall) who recited a poem and appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream on the Island during the festival

Paul Healy, Keir and Phil

Anna reads "Wreath Lecture"
(Wonder where all that clotted cream went ... If I hadn't been wearing such a stupid short top I wouldn't have had to crop the photo so ruthlessly)

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith

Steve Jones joined by Charles Shaar Murray

Anna's MC-eye-view of the lovely audience ...



Norway Square finale with all that day's musicians plus me and Linda

St Ives Comedy Club first night

Rod Bullimore, Anna Chen, Charles Shaar Murray

Rod Bullimore, Anna Chen and Matt Price

Tonight's opening (Wednesday 2nd July) of St Ives's first ever comedy club at the Western Hotel got off to a lively and shambolic start with comics versus hecklers. Talk about clash of cultures! The comics fought back and regained ground but the body count was high.

Anna Chen found some of her best lines stomped on by one table of pissed punters, although her "From flapping lab to flapping gob" line about Basic Instinct star Sharon Stone and her statement that the Chinese earthquake was karma over Tibet, went down a storm (so to speak!). Demitris Deech smiled his way wickedly through some killer put-downs but it was former boxer and headliner Matt Price whose controlled explosions rocked the house. Passionate and ever so slightly charged with the threat of violence, he gave a masterclass in how to deal with a troublesome audience.

Rod Bullimore was the gentle poet and wit who steered us through the rocks and a great time was had by all. Now that's my kind of dangerous sport!

Thanks to Alan Gillam and Steve McIntosh for inviting me.