A CELEBRATION of New York s abundant music and poetic history is being performed by Keith James and Rick Foot at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans on Saturday. Poet in New York combines the artistic emotional history of the modern city with evocative

A CELEBRATION of New York's abundant music and poetic history is being performed by Keith James and Rick Foot at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans on Saturday.

Poet in New York combines the artistic emotional history of the modern city with evocative music from the likes of Leonard Cohen.

The concert of music by Keith and Rick has been drawn from the reflective personal writing of those gifted in the art of poetry which exposes the fear, fascination and vulnerability experienced by many when confronted with somewhere as unsettling as New York.

During the 20th century, Lorca, Borges, Plath and Dylan found their way to New York as did Suzanne Vega, Pablo Neruda and Leonard Cohen. It is their words that the duo will bring to the stage.

The evening gets underway at 8pm and tickets are �12, available from the arts theatre box office on 01727 844222.

�� Earlier on Saturday, Lanternfish Theatre Company puts on two performances of The Tempest for the over-fives.

On a mysterious island, a sorcerer conjures shipwrecks, spirits, monsters and music through the power of magic while a young girl discovers the incredible world around her.

Lanternfish is the arts theatre's resident professional children's theatre company and the production will star Xavier Williams, well known to pantogoers.

Performances are at 11.30am and 3pm and tickets are �5.

�� Guitarist Mark Ashford performs the fourth and final concert of the Coffee and Classics Spring Season at the arts theatre next Wednesday lunchtime, March 25.

His hour-long classical guitar recital will feature works by Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla and arrangements of some popular French songs.

The concert starts at 1pm and tickets are �4.

�� Oral Cabaret returns to the arts theatre at 8pm that evening with Salena Godden the featured performer. A poet and writer living in North London whose poetry has been performed across the UK, she is perhaps best known for recording and performing in ska-punk-breakfast duo SaltPeter with Peter Coyte.

Oral Cabaret, the spoken word evening for over-16s, is hosted by Hemel Hempstead's own poet laureate Mat Lloyd and there will be further support yet to be announced.

Tickets are �5 with concessions �4.