Find Your Inner Pig: A Night of Poetry

Well, she did it. Anna Freeman managed to live up to the hype I'd created in my head after seeing a video of a poem she'd performed. She and Chris Redmond made a great pairing in their poetry/storytelling performance called 'Hunting Pigs' in Bristol on 31st of January. They both went full hog into the awkward and confusing moments of adolescence where we desperately try to be cool, and it was amusing to see how that desire didn't seem to change much into their adulthood.

Anna and Chris performed 'Hunting Pigs'

The show had a pig motif throughout it (as you might guess from the title). Finding your inner pig is like unleashing the shameless spontaneity and toughness that is within all of us. Actually, that motif sort of disappeared towards the end of the piece, but there were plenty of other things to entertain us. There was a band--drummer, keyboardist, and guitarist. I almost want to say that they were in the background, but really they were very much a part of the show. At one stage, the drummer had to put on a long-haired wig and a visa and pretend to be teenage Chris.

Chris's hairstyle in the 80s.

What I really enjoyed was that atmosphere that we were all friends sharing in those cringe-worthy moments and laughing about it together. Something special happens when you offer your under-the-rug self to others. It breaks down the usual barriers you put up when you want to be seen as cool and confident, and instead you just end up being friends. Isn't that so much better?

I have the most fun when I can be my true crazy self with a true crazy friend

There was a sort of karaoke scene at the end of the show where we could shout out bands or songs that we like but are secretly ashamed of admitting that we like. Please post your own in the comment section below. This one's mine: