von Smaranda Popescu
It is 19:10 on a Saturday, the 27th of January 2024. I enter KUKOON, I have no expectations. It is my first time here.
I instantly see and hear a lot. A lot of people, a lot of color, a lot of chatter. The place is filled, and there are no more seats. I grab an extra chair and find myself a place next to someone’s table. Around me, laughter, dimmed lights, cake and wine glasses. Everyone seems to be in the right mood.
The moderator, Jens Laloire from Bremer Literaturkontor gets on stage punctually and welcomes us. He then proceeds to explain to us the „rules“ of tonight’s event. 13 people have signed up to perform their texts on stage, either poems or short prose. Some of them are amateurs, while some are already authors. However, their texts must fit into a theme, namely: family relations. This specific topic was chosen for this year’s event. A further rule is that each author will have exactly 7 minutes to recite their text, no more. The public is also kindly asked to stay silent during the performances and applaud accordingly at the end.
The first person comes on stage. I am curious to see how he is going to break the ice. He has prepared some poems in English. His first one is about being enough or not enough. For someone else, for himself. About having enough of it all. About making peace with it. His words are sharp, sincere and they speak to me, to all of us. I already become emotional.
A bit later, a woman author recites her text while remembering her father, who was in the military for as long as she can remember. Her text is about suffering. Her text is about a child craving to be loved. Her text is about absence. She sheds tears while reading. I do too, with her.
The public claps loudly after each contestant. The person next to me is going to read their short story soon, I hear. They are warmly encouraged by their friends. The story is about a funeral, spent together with some family members. The public laughs at some of the passages. It is a good, humorous piece.
The 4th, the 5th, then the 6th candidate gradually follows, until the last participant. A mother’s love, a child who is not able to speak their mind, a grandma who never lies, a train ride to an impossible destination… All these subjects are beautifully connected to the main theme of our night, family.
All in all, it was extremely captivating to see what this word meant for 13 different adults. I saw the public’s watery eyes, I felt things, and I witnessed pure talent. I think overall, this night had a cathartic effect on me. We all sat there, listening to each other’s stories, while thinking about our own. Our own family. Meanwhile, various feelings bottled up in ourselves. But then, eventually, we let them all go, with a good clap.
The event lasted about 2 hours and 40 minutes. After the host announced the end of the night, some people continued sitting at their tables. They did not rush to get up. Perhaps some dialogues arose between those who were on stage, perhaps some friendships were made.
I exited the event feeling recharged, warm, somehow sad, somehow happy, grateful, melancholic, and overall deeply moved.
27.01.2024, Kulturzentrum KUKOON – »Bande wider Willen« Open Mic mit Texten rund ums Thema „Familienbande“ im Rahmen der Literarischen Woche Bremen
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