Ant Smith AKA "The Game Cat" - Performance Poet

(click image for video)

I encountered Ant Smith recently playing a local open mic night in Brixton. His performances are brash, loud and heaving with colourful language. With a slightly unhinged delivery he delivers his own brand of performance poetry a what could almost be described as traditional celtic folk singing.

Stepping onto stage looking like a fairly quiet, well mannered gentleman he introduces himself as a poet. Maybe he'll shuffle a few sheets of paper or open a sketchbook. Then in the span of half a second he transforms into a wide-eyed, shouting mad man; he spits his words into the audience with a kind of incensed rabid abandon. Whilst it may not be the most palatable of performances it is bursting with passion. People react first with surprise and laughter - some already know his face and others have never seen him before. However, by the end of the first - performance? Song? Poem? - everybody is cheering.

After the performance I saw him leave the pub for a cigarette and seized my moment to get a couple of words from him. He was once again the quiet gentleman I had seen wandering around the pub earlier. The maniacal glint I saw in his eye was left on stage. Graciously he accepts my congratulations on his performance, and after acquiring his name I left him to his pint.

I found his performance incredibly powerful and hope to see him again soon.

Below are the words for one of my favourites I heard that night, which is unfortunately yet to be recorded. Please do check out his facebook fan page too, which updates with the things he's up to at the moment and has more videos on it.

I'm a pretty little princess
My girl likes to say
She likes to see it going in
She likes to have her way

If a thing is beautiful
Then that thing is dead
I lay my broken ugly side
Next to you in bed

I'm a disco diva
When I move my legs
You should see me shake it babe
Oops upside my head

If a thing's unusual
It's usually nothing
I like the fact that you exist
Even when I'm pissed

I'm a naughty fucker
You've said that more than once
I'm not like all the other boys
It's more like I'm no one

I'm not so very special
When I'm on my own
So I will be your mannequin
Your pretty dress up doll

You sometimes make me make some sense
You sometimes take my
innocence
So I will be your mannequin
Your pretty dress up doll
The whole entire fucking world can go to fucking hell
So long as I can serve you with
This pretty little shell