Suicide Notes -review- Northern Stage

Suicide Notes by Christopher Brett Bailey 
Northern Stage
2nd October 2018

Suicide Notes isn’t as depressive as it sounds, though to say it’s not depressive in one sense would be inaccurate. Christopher was brought up in the USA and Canada, but moved to the UK in his teen years, so his accent is undeniably American. He starts the show off sat at a desk, with an audio recording device, pretty much coughing at the entire audience for what seems like about five minutes - an odd introduction , but it tells you a lot about his character and humour. I had a similar start to my comedy sets when I performed comedy, “my names DR Carlos, I’m not a real doctor, but I do like to tell people what’s wrong with them.” Your intro should set up the rest of the show and (unlike most of my stand up gigs) it only got funnier from there on.

The start of this spoken word show reminded me of the many open mic comedy gigs I’ve been to. Lots of one liner poems, some funny, some insightful, some both. He’s an intriguing character, somewhat majestical. He has all the snear of a 70s punk, which is lucky , because he’s in a punk band himself. Look it up, it’s very long. He reminds me of a cross between Patti Smith of 70s punk fame and Zach De La Roche from rock band Rage Against the Machine. Every night is different as he reads from his latest spoken word book, Suicide Notes, the follow up to his last book This is How We Die. The book is supposed to be five hours long and this show was about a hundred minutes long.

There are interesting themes not just suicide, but a wide range of topics, there are some political bits, some life pondering moments and some existential questions I could certainly relate to. At one point he suggests that parents revealing in their child’s achievement's is the biological equivalent of smelling your own farts and that if you really want to make a difference take on someone else’s problem and adopt. My sentiments exactly, not quite sure the audience agreed with that, but look around you it’s clearly not a popular idea.

Some of his stories are kinda sadistic fables ingested with real elements, like the time he goes drinking with Adam off of the bible and that. It’s clear he has a wicked sense of humour and I certainty enjoyed his piece, However like a lot of poetry and spoken word it does tend to quite often wander into ranty and preachy territory. You can tell he likes to improvise and probably does a fair bit of automatic writing. Some of the longer spoken word bits do seem unedited and came across like a flow of conciousness. The guy has a great charisma though, you really want to know what he’s going to say next and, his one liners aside, you really don’t see what’s coming next.

If you enjoy poetry, comedy and spoken word, I suggest you check him out next time he tours, or catch his last date on this tour at the showroom in Chichester on the 18th October 2018.

Frank Cromartie Murphy

Whatever Happened to Vandal Raptor? - Vandal Factory - Review

Whatever Happened to Vandal Raptor?  

Vandal Factory @ TESTT Space  
12th April 2018

Written by Henry Raby
Directed by Natalie Quatermass


Punk is dead. Or is it? Vandal Raptor is a punk band - an imaginary one, dreamt up by Henry Raby. Henry Raby is a punk poet. As people arrive he welcomes us and politely asks if we'd like a badge, and would anyone mind being a gig promoter for the evening...? It doesn't involve much, just one line to read out..?

Once we are all seated, he welcomes us again and encourages us to practice some audience participation for later in the show. He is quietly spoken and too polite for a punk. Henry Raby is probably the politest punk you're likely to meet, but his heart beats with punk passion and conviction. He came to punk in the 00s and regrets the lost chances to see the great bands live. He can only dream of them...and so he has - creating Vandal Raptor, the best and only dinosaur punk band!

Through the course of the hour we learn about Bert, Hog, Izzy and Kim four friends who formed a band and were going to change the world - with three chords and dinosaur lyrics. We hear about their passion for change, for kicking back against the establishment and we see how, ten years after the band split, life and growing up has changed them, moulded them into uncomfortable conformity, blunted the enthusiasm and the passion,

This show is one man's love  affair with punk, it's about rebelling and conforming, about growing up and changing, and staying true to yourself and your beliefs. It's about passion and belief, and not allowing yourself to lose sight of what's important. Through a creative mix of music, poetry, and storytelling Henry Raby gives a tribute to the punk era that is both humorous and sad. He implores us not to allow the rebellious spirit of punk to die - and we end on the Vandal Raptor battle cry - "How do you stop from going extinct? Resist! Resist! Resist!"

The venue TESTT Space is a repurposed corporate office, brown cord carpet hiding all manor of establishment stains, and a dank, damp smell of neglect pervades it - very punk! It has been taken over as a community arts venue, offering workshops, exhibition and performance space and a testing ground for new ideas- not unlike, maybe, the Raptors' vision for the derelict old New Rose Pub.

On my way to the gig I passed a homeless guy in a shop doorway, in the rain. I put some loose change in his tin, apologised that it wasn't much. He thanked me cheerfully and wished me a good evening.  A taxi driver sitting warm in his cab a few metres away called out as I passed by, "He's probably got more money than you and me, love!". Perhaps he has. Perhaps that's how you get rich in this day and age - you sit in a freezing doorway, wrapped in damp blanket and beg for loose change. And perhaps we have more need of a punk attitude than ever. Nothing much has changed - and everything has changed since the punk era. If I had seen the taxi man as I left, I think I might have gobbed on him. Don't accept things the way they are. Do your bit, however small, and Resist! Resist! Resist!

Whatever Happened to Vandal Raptor? is on tour this month - dig out your safety pins, spike up your hair and go see it if it's near you. Details of venues below. 

Denise Sparrowhawk


The New Adelphi89 De Grey St, Hull HU5 2RU
April 15th
7.30pm
Workshop Theatre
School of English
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
April 17th
7.30pm
Pay-what-you-decide
 Hydra Bookshop
34 Old Market St, Bristol BS2 0EZ
April 18th
7.30pm
Pay-what-you-decide
 Derby Theatre
15 Theatre Walk, Derby DE1 2NF
April 20th
8pm
£8-10
https://www.derbytheatre.co.uk/what-happened-vandal-raptor
Harrogate Theatre
6 Oxford St, Harrogate HG1 1QF
April 24-25th
£8-10
7.45pm
http://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/Whatever-Happened-to-Vandal-Raptor
Ovalhouse London
52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 5SW
April 26-28th
7.45pm
http://www.ovalhouse.com/whatson/detail/whatever-happened-to-vandal-raptor