Located in the small but cosy performance space underneath the main café area of Captain Taylor’s Coffee House, Life or Something Like it sees Mancunian singer-songwriter Claire Mooney and Blackpool-born comedy poet Alex Keelan teaming up for a show that is half spoken word and half song and sing-a-long. The subject matter under scrutiny is life itself, with songs and poems focussing on topics ranging from ‘tyranny’ in the office space to the coalition government - with a spot of feminism thrown in for good measure.
The show is split into two halves, with the first half performed by Alex Keelan, performance poet and ‘writer of social commentary that rhymes.’ Keelan oozes easy confidence on stage, embracing the audience with genuine warmth and familiarity. The poems themselves are never less than charming, even when approaching an almost teenaged earnestness. Predictably some get bigger reactions from the audience than others. A witty, wordy poem about working in a call-centre is warmly received, with biting satire nicely balanced by homely, approachable humour. The more serious poems get a slightly muted reaction, though this is possibly because enthusiastic applause seems like the wrong response with subject matter as serious as rape.
Claire Mooney’s performance follows Keelan’s and dwells on similar themes through the medium of music. Mooney’s folksy ballads blend in perfectly with the friendly atmosphere established by Keelan, while also developing things in a more overtly political direction. The current cabinet receives a good bashing; as do those who pirate music. There are some predictable jibes at Nick Clegg (the ‘linchpin of the coalition’) which fall a bit flat, but most of the humour is sharp and accessible. Mooney’s experience on BBC radio in the North West of England stands her in good stead; her comfortable banter with the audience immediately puts everyone in the room at ease, with one particular chap who happily admitted to pirating music receiving particular attention.
Life or Something Like It is good-natured fun with a left-wing slant, containing some razor sharp observations on everyday issues and a healthy proclivity for shining light on dark places. One half words and one half music, as a whole this is well worth taking an hour out from your day.
