Isle of Wight Vextival launched in Newport

Held over the weekend of December 9 and 10, with four hour-long performances each evening, VEXTIVAL delivered a diversity of voices and styles as the writers, poets and prosemongers of VEX revived their summer shows for a small and appreciative audience.

The festival was opened by thought-provoking columnist Catherine James, who teamed with bawdy bard Steve Taverner to revisit their witty and acerbic 'Lucky Dip' show.

The audience was then serenaded by Antidepressance/David Jowitt's self-penned ballads of love and longing. Next Tim Cooper's MAWGIAS persona threaded a tender and impactful narrative with life-affirming yet adult themes.

Steve Taverner performing at VEXTIVAL (Image: Cat James)

The evening ended with Tim 'King Stammers' Martin's welcome return to the stage after a nine month sabbatical, in which his long-form poetry had gestated; the accomplished wordsmith delivering both new and familiar work on heart-stopping and hard-hitting topics.

The second day of VEXTIVAL began with stand-up Rachel Attwood, who painted an intimate portrait of navigating through health, domestic and societal obstacles. Andrew Butcher used his dysfunctional upbringing and insecurities to explore faked coping mechanisms. In his nuanced performance, Ben Murray-Homes voiced the aspirations of his childhood alter-ego 'Ronald', who helped the maturing Ben launch himself on a journey of creative purpose.

VEXTIVAL's finale was the group show 'Enough is Enough'; powerful essays and poems on the impotent trauma experienced as seemingly helpless observers of Earth's decline. Six separate judgements were emotively recited on lies, capitalism, gender, war, Laika the space dog and the life-force of everything.

The Island is famous as the home of writers and poets, and this inaugural VEXTIVAL builds on that tradition.