****
(4 Stars)
Love, Science and Revolution is a Spoken Word Performance on the Free Fringe.
Berlin born, Seattle bred, London resident and now temporary Edinburgh performer, David Lee Morgan is the talented performance poet who presents Love, Science and Revolution.
The Spoken Word section of the Edinburgh Fringe has really taken major leaps forward this year with more shows in a wide variety of venues. There is more choice than ever before and David Lee Morgan fits right in with the ethos of the Free Fringe. He is doing something fresh and expressive and all this at 12.30 in the afternoon within the back room of The Banshee Labyrinth (which is allegedly the most haunted pub in Edinburgh).
David Lee Morgan begins his performance by telling us how vibrant and exciting the poetry scene in London is at the moment. Poets are embracing activism, the protest movement, the Arab Spring and Occupy. When our performer does eventually get going his themes and motifs embody freedom of speech and liberal politics.
Our performer is definitely comfortable in front of a microphone. As a slam poet he has won both the London Slam Championship and UK Slam Championship. This background in slam poetry is evident in his work with his ability to hold the audiences attention through lyricism and rhymes. Sometimes slam poetry can just be a shouting match, but David Lee Morgan does not fall into this trap. Instead he voices his opinions through finely crafted words, each one complimenting the next.
A selection of our performers poetry is set to music by Michael Harding of the experimental group Animat. Animat have a background in composing contemporary soundtracks to classic science fiction movies, however in Love, Science and Revolution the style has more in common with jazz. This is enforced when David Lee Morgan picks up a saxophone and plays as a complimentary relief to his words. This firmly places the poet in the beat tradition with the influence of Allen Ginsberg and Gary Synder clearly evident. Gil Scott Heron is another reference point, but David Lee Morgan is clever and talented enough to present his poetry with his own style and voice.
Love, Science and Revolution is a perfect compliment to the Spoken Word programme at the Free Fringe. David Lee Morgan has that unique on stage presence that can educate and entertain at the same time and that what makes him such a fine talent.
Until 24th of August 2013
12.30 – 13.30
The Banshee Labyrinth
Fringe Venue 156
29 – 35 Niddry Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LG
@davidword
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