Madam Miaow's Culture Lounge returns to the St Ives Arts Festival 2013

Madam Miaow's Culture Lounge returns to the St Ives Arts Festival following last year's The Steampunk Opium Wars extravaganza that had a cast of thousands and played to a capacity audience of dozens.

This year, I'll read the first chapters of my novelisation of the The Steampunk Opium Wars: The Camellia and the Poppy which I'm having great fun writing. I'm also reading poetry from my "brilliant and dangerous" book, Reaching for my Gnu, published in Kindle and paperback.

I'm joined by the super-talented Charles Shaar Murray and Marc Jefferies, who'll be providing musical accompaniment and, in the case of CSM, reading his work as well.

In case you can have too much of a good thing, the adorable Bob Devereux, very funny Rob Barratt and the divine Steve Jones will be delighting our lovely audience with their spoken and sung words and music.

Should you find yourself in St Ives with time on your hands and a taste for a bit of kulcher among friends, then come and join us for the evening. Tickets should be avaiable on the door if they haven't sold out (this is the festival and that does happen). Advance tickets from The St Ives Visitor Centre, The Guildhall, Street An Pol, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2DS

7.30pm Saturday 14 September 2013
St Ives Arts Club
Westcotts Quay
St Ives,
Cornwall TR26 2DY
£8.50 Tickets from The St Ives Visitor Centre: 0905 252 2250 or on the door if there are any left.
BYO drink

Look out for us at the Café Art where Charles Shaar Murray and I will be reading one early evening, exact date to be confirmed.
The Drill Hall,
Chapel Street,
St Ives TR26 2LR

We'll also be reading and playing at Bob Devereux's lunchtime Poetry in the Square sessions in Norway Square.

Madam Miaow at the St Ives Arts Festival 2008: Photos 2

Here's the second batch of photos from this year's St Ives Arts Festival.

I'll add the rest in another batch in a couple of days.

St Ives Porthmeor Beach and the Island from the Tate

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith's gig at the Kiddleywink (Kettle & Wink Bar) at the Western Hotel, Sunday 14th September 2008

Anna Chen joins Buffalo Bill Smith and Charles Shaar Murray on stage

Mo plays early women's jazz songs during the break at Charles and Bill's gig

Anna, Rachel and Bill in the Kiddleywink

Buffalo Bill Smith and Charles Shaar Murray in the Kiddleywink

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith in St Ives

Charles and Bill in St Nick's

Steve Jones gigging in the Kiddleywink

Steve Jones, the Kiddleywink

The Sloop Inn, St Ives
I can see Rod, Steve M, Pete Low, Steve and Linda J, Brenda, Charles Shaar Murray and Paul Healy

The Sloop Public Bar: Charles Shaar Murray, Buffalo Bill Smith, Martyn Barker, Rod Bullimore, Kelvin

Rod and Kelvin

Sloop Public Bar: Anna, Charles and Bill

Anna, Steve and Rod outside the Sloop

Madam Miaow at the St Ives Arts Festival 2008: Photos 2

Here's the second batch of photos from this year's St Ives Arts Festival.

I'll add the rest in another batch in a couple of days.

St Ives Porthmeor Beach and the Island from the Tate

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith's gig at the Kiddleywink (Kettle & Wink Bar) at the Western Hotel, Sunday 14th September 2008

Anna Chen joins Buffalo Bill Smith and Charles Shaar Murray on stage

Mo plays early women's jazz songs during the break at Charles and Bill's gig

Anna, Rachel and Bill in the Kiddleywink

Buffalo Bill Smith and Charles Shaar Murray in the Kiddleywink

Charles Shaar Murray and Buffalo Bill Smith in St Ives

Charles and Bill in St Nick's

Steve Jones gigging in the Kiddleywink

Steve Jones, the Kiddleywink

The Sloop Inn, St Ives
I can see Rod, Steve M, Pete Low, Steve and Linda J, Brenda, Charles Shaar Murray and Paul Healy

The Sloop Public Bar: Charles Shaar Murray, Buffalo Bill Smith, Martyn Barker, Rod Bullimore, Kelvin

Rod and Kelvin

Sloop Public Bar: Anna, Charles and Bill

Anna, Steve and Rod outside the Sloop

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