type-a-poet review (Melb Fringe)

As you enter the Temple of Poetry you instantly feel like you have been transported into an otherworldly place. Cushions are scattered on the floor, two chairs and a table are to your left and a small set of shelves hold stacks of paper kept in place by crystals and paperweight.

And there, at the head of altar sits The Poet (Andi Snelling) by their typewriter, like a street performer waiting for someone to drop some coins into their hat before they move. This is type-a-poet, a 1:1 silent ten-minute encounter where Snelling writes a poem for your soul based on your speechless interaction.

Once I am settled on the cushions, Snelling awakens and we make eye contact. It's a powerful act to stare into someone’s eyes and not speak. We stare. We smile. We acknowledge. Having known Snelling for over a decade, there is a shared history but as The Poet, with her white clothes and elaborate jewellery and make-up, it feels like this is the first time we are meeting and connecting.

It is then that the tap tap tapping of the typewriter commences as my poem is created. There are pauses, there are more stares, and there are knowing looks. As personal as this is for me, it seems it is just as personal and intimate for Snelling. With each line, I observe their mind analysing and reflecting, looking at me, reading me and adding the next line. The finished product displays Snelling's skills as a performer, a writer/poet and her uncanny ability to understand people and really see them.

It's shows like type-a-poet that make Fringe Festivals exciting. This is a unique experience that is yours and yours alone. No one else will ever have the moment you have shared with Snelling. 24 hours after my visit to the Temple of Poetry I read my poem and continue to be amazed at how much the silence between us speaks volumes on paper.

Show Details



Venue: Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts, Carlton.

Season: until 22 October | Wed - Sat 6:00 - 9:00pm (every ten minutes)
Duration: 10 minutes

Tickets: $24 Full | $22 Concession
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival