“I’ve done better than Eusden”, is the central theme of Luke Wrights show explaining why he should be Poet Laureate. This quote refers to the universally derided former Poet Laureate, Laurence Eusden. A man who is held in such poor regard that, as Wright informs the audience, his entrance in the normally objective Encyclopaedia Britannica doesn’t have a good word to say about him.
That such a humble claim from Wright can be the thread running through the show is fitting, as Wright is a charismatically self-effacing performer whose intelligent mixture of humour and heartfelt poetry has the audience captivated from the word go. Those who saw him perform at last year’s Fringe as part of poetry collective Aisle 16 will not be disappointed as the start of the show contains plenty of references to those he previously shared the stage with. However, if poems like his satirical declaration of love for daytime TV doyen Richard Madeley are anything to go by, Wright appears to have no fears about going it alone as a performer. If anything this performance heralds him as the real talent from Aisle 16.
It is a measure of Wrights character that he shakes hands with every delighted audience member as they leave a thoroughly entertaining show, performed by a man seriously threatening to make poetry credible to the mainstream. The campaign to have Luke Wright installed as Poet Laureate starts here!
4/5
Robert Ferguson
