I've been involved with midwifing some Chinese poetry/literature into the
Southbank literature programme, and this weekend it is 'all happening' as
they say.

I'm accutely aware, in doing this, that my agendas, and the agendas of the
organizers are quite different; also that my purposes and engagements with
these issues have a different 'spin' (useful metaphor, now hatefully
corrupted by Media Doctors) than when I am trying to engage with the body
of work in English which I happen to read and rate.

Anyway, I had an interesting talk with one of the organizers. I wanted to
find out how they had come to programme Rodefer and Lopez; and later they
will also put on Catling and Williamson. The conversation was amicable and
I think it got some where on both sides, conveying a sense of real concerns
from both points of view, with some overlaps.

But, the *point* of this message is to say that the anxiety in a venue like
the Southbank Centre's Voice Box, is always there:- to get 'bums on seats'.
They even pay attention to the figures for 'advance bookings' (three for R.
& L. on June 11).

Surely there is a big enough audience in the Home Counties for Rodefer and
Lopez? We've seen them read before, yes, but let's make an effort, to make
a point of seeing them also at the Southbank. To be blunt, let's help them
get a (reassuring) audience for those events we think important, even in
this context.

Can those of you who are teaching encourage students to attend? Is there
any way we can spread the message more widely without great expense?
Journalism anyone?

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is *not* a message about the establishment/avant-garde
rift. It is a political message concerning tactics, and possibly strategies.




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