The Language of Roses, is a live collaboration from spoken word artists Tifany MarSah and Solomon Prempeh with composition from musician Tess Lina. The one hour experience was conceived as a ‘living poem’.
By marrying music and poetry to explore the many facets of vulnerability, the evening promised an atmosphere of safety, peace and raw humanity; a garden of emotion waiting to be inhaled as you’re led on an unforgettable journey.
As we gladly left the dense noise and bustle of a Camden Friday night and made our way through the rowdy Oxford Arms to seek the box office of the Etcetera Theatre, we could tell that we were about to embark on an adventure. This is just the kind of venue that makes me fall in love with London over and again. Special spots filled with people rallying around art. Keeping the fringe scene alive and providing places for artists to find their footing.
The theatre staircase was strewn with roses, pulling us up from the teeming streets, into a different sense of place. The beautiful, gentle piano of Tess Lina eased us into the room and there was an instant sense of relief and complete separation from the hectic world we’d just left behind. The attention to experiential detail continued with programs presented in mysterious black envelopes alongside a single rose. As the seats began to fill up, there was a sensation of meditative stillness.
The room was bathed in reds and blacks and as MarSah and Prempeh took to the stage, we were invited into what felt like their 'tango'. The billing promised feelings of communion, relived memories and emotions and to allow ourselves to fall back to earlier times. I was transported to times of youthful romance on the streets and in the clubs of La Boca. The history of life and love on stage, duetting with my own history of the same.
The performance unfolded through a seamless blend of solo and joint pieces, carousel-style storytelling, and moments where each poet stepped into their own spotlight—inviting the audience into the sacred intimacy of their individual expression.
Growth from un-growable places was a poignant theme throughout the first act - roses from concrete. We felt as though, in real time, we were watching MarSah and Prempeh bloom into themselves as they shook off their first night nerves to a cascade of appreciative clicks, (poetry audiences click rather than clap).
The performer's chemistry and generosity allowed each other space for self-expression before unifying to bring home their message. Prempeh’s inherent romance in his work disarmed and surprised, as he wove a tender story about his mother and his self-reflective journey from boy into manhood. MarSah followed by reworking many of the same words into her own narrative. It was a beautiful linguistic baton pass from one poet to the other. She tenderly pressed into her past, exploring and charting the development of her unique voice.
Image Copyright: Tyrone Lewis @tyronelewis22
The first act was experimental, innovative and left us all with a deep sense of soulful introspection. MarSah and Prempeh invoked a world where every word is deliberate, every silence full, and every rose—spoken or unspoken—carries meaning. Their work tugged at the heartstrings and cultivated an atmosphere of reflection and belonging.
After a stretch and chat (and a welcome stint under the air conditioning unit!), the mood shifted in the second act. This was an intentional expression of energy and the beauty and bewilderment of growing up. The poetry and delivery became more performance based. The poets played off each other, crafting a nostalgic pathway through their lives. This coupled with a clever use of commonality allowed us all to draw on similarities. - We all felt that fear in our first new school, felt the keen cut of early heartbreak, and who didn't hate the Blackberry buttons!
Image Copyright: Tyrone Lewis @tyronelewis22
The lesson placed in the prose was one of never knowing if one had settled, fulfilled their potential. Never knowing if you’ve ‘made it’. This challenged us to wonder if we were, in fact, not all together in the room by wild chance. But, that we were exactly where we were all supposed to be.
Fade to black and an emotion-laden silence.
As MarSah, Prempeh and Lina returned to the stage, we released – erupting into a jubilant standing ovation.
The Language of Roses blossomed onstage from performance to something far greater - it became a fellowship. Music and poetry and community, intertwined to unlock a language beyond words.
One of emotion. Of memory. Of roses.
The Language of Roses was directed, edited and co-curated by Tifany MarSah, produced, written and co-curated by Solomon Prempeh with original music composed by Tess Lina. The group are planning future performances and the poets can often be found on the London and international poetry scene.
We're constantly on the look out for new artists, creatives and initiatives to feature in TheNeverZine - so if you are, or know someone who is going their own way and doing their own thing on their own terms and would be a good fit to feature please smash that button below and get in contact. By talking to each other, and sharing our journeys, ideas and insights on creativity, art, mental health and resilience we can all create, share and thrive together. Nice thought that.
PS - Don't forget to subscribe below for more content from TheNeverPress 👇