Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Lance first took part in the Edinburgh fringe in 2007. He brought his one-man show John Betjeman's
Life in Verse to St Cuthbert's Parish Church for seven performances. The show takes you through
Betjeman's life story using his autobiographical poems as a guide. Three Weeks magazine saw the
show and said:
The very performance Lance produces adds to the resonance and beauty of the verse
tenfold; performance poetry is an art in which he truly thrives. His vocal range
is hypnotic and limitless.
Three Weeks magazine, 2007
He returned to the Fringe in 2008 with his show The Best of John Betjeman.
This show aimed to give an overview of Betjeman’s best work; including the poems
he considered his greatest, together with those which have made him so famous.
Three Weeks magazine reviewed the show again and said:
Betjeman's poetry became magical with Lance Pierson's 'epileptic animation'.
The sheer enthusiasm and clear love for Betjeman's work that Lance projects
make for a truly enjoyable experience.
Three Weeks magazine, 2008
In 2009 Lance returned with an updated show taking the best poems from his first two
shows to help tell Betjeman’s life story. The show was split across two hours, the
first hour covering 1906 to the start of the Second World War. The second covered
the War and the rest of Betjeman’s life until 1984.
Praise for the 2009 show
Lance Pierson is surprisingly good at what he does, which is bringing
Betjeman’s poetry to life. He does it in his own individual, personal
style. It is individual, idiosyncratic and it works. What he doesn’t
do, and all credit to him, is try to be John Betjeman. He doesn’t need
to. He has the measure of the man and brings Betjeman to life through
his poetry, his words and some well-chosen comments which are concise,
apposite and relevant.
Broadway Baby, Leon Conrad
Filling the packed room with his projected tones, Pierson doesn't just
recite the former Poet Laureate's words; he truly acts them. With an almost
child-like expressiveness, yet never straying into over-acting, Pierson
brought out both the pathos and the humour of Betjeman's poems. His
stunning vocal range compellingly evoked a vast cast of characters
including, of course, the great man himself; it was fascinating and
enlightening to hear such a skilful practitioner work with the lines
I've only ever heard in my own voice, in my own head.
FringeGuru, Richard Stamp
Photo courtesy of Jane Bown