Birmingham- born wordsmith Polar Bear, performed the moving piece ‘RETURN’ at The Hub, Bromford on Saturday 19th March, as part of the pop up arts tearoom project.
One of the most respected spoken word artists in the UK, Polarbear is renowned for delivering stories that make sense; stories that relate. With hip-hop roots that combine perfectly with his brilliant poetry, his performance was both unique and memorable.
“RETURN” tells the story of Noah, a man trying to figure out where he fits. Convinced he had to leave home in order to make his mark, Noah returns to find a world where a lot of things seem the same but nothing actually is.
Combining storytelling with a distinctive lighting and projection design, “RETURN” exploits its relationship with cinematic genres. The show journeys through scenes and landscapes, encouraging you to explore and, like a film director, be challenged to re-imagine as the story unfolds…
The Bromford tearoom slowly filled up, as people from outside crept in, intrigued as to why the room was so dimly lit and why we were all transfixed with this performance, once they were in, they didn’t leave.
His audience chuckled as they related to his 90’s film and music references and memories of hanging around girls in the park. His voice, his tone, his pauses between scenes were perfect; the soft music in the background and words projected onto the board behind put you in the scene immediately.
Both captivating and moving, Polarbear captures the sense of ‘home’ perfectly. His scene setting and descriptions allow you to picture the characters and places, making the performance all the more real. Polarbear encourages you to reminicse on your own memories of home, triggering emotion in those who have ever left and returned.
It was a unique performance that will stay with you for a long time and proved to be a great opportunity for his audience, who were appreciative and applauding throughout this compelling story.
Watch a small clip of ‘RETURN,’ performed at The Hub, Bromford.
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