“Writers write. Actors read. Audience listens. Everybody wins.”
What a fantastic idea! It seems so simple, but this is the brilliant concept behind the Liars’ League.
I love seeing authors read their work. It is always interesting to hear them read their own work. However, writers are writers because they write. Not because they speak. The oration skills are the privilege of the actors. This is one of the many reasons Liars’ League excels. From melodrama to gripping tragedy, on the second Tuesday of every month The Phoenix becomes a haven for storytelling. They call it ‘live fiction’ and I would be inclined to agree. Each story is brought to (larger than) life by an actor reading from a hefty black tome in which the months entries are collected.
In this age where literary events are either big name, big venue affairs or grassroots collective events, Liars’ League does an admirable job of bridging the gap. It is still a fairly small venture, but with the quality that they present consistently, it feels like a huge adventure every time.
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The next Liars’ League is on Tuesday July 12 and in celebration of the our unconvincing summer weather the theme is Hot & Bothered.
The Phoenix is at 37 Cavendish Square, five minutes from Oxford Circus Tube.
Have a look at their website for a taster of the Liar’s League with stories and videos of past events.
Photo by ifsoever. See his flickr here.
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