Combine poetry readings and bands, throw in an open-mic slot, and you have a pretty unusual package.

Cue Rhythm and Muse (R&M), a well-established monthly poetry music club at the Lion pub in Teddington, writes Louise Ridley.

The night has swiftly gathered momentum over its 18 months, with plenty of local voices as well as musicians on tour from New York and poets from all over the UK dropping in to share their work.

On Friday, R&M is upping sticks for the first time and going on tour to the cornerHOUSE in Tolworth.

The acclaimed format travels with it – two published poets, featured bands, and an open-floor spot, all wrapped up together by host Nick Pool.

Organiser Alison Hill founded R&M after attending a similar night called Tongues and Grooves in Ports-mouth.

“I realised how well it would work here,” she says.

“The combination really adds something, it brings in different sorts ofpeople we are addressing two audiences.”

She is eager to set the club in a different venue.

“I wanted to make it very much about the performance as there is a stage. We have some pretty amazing guests.”

One of these is performance poet AF Harold, well known on the poetry circuit and credited with reducing Leonard Cohen to tears.

Another is The Flying Blueberries, an acoustic duo from London who serve up folk and country with a feel-good vibe.

Hill’s not adverse to taking up the mic herself under the name Speranza, with partner Judith Watts.

They deliver performance poetry with a Wildean flavour (Speranza is the alias Oscar’s mother wrote under.) It will be a first for the cornerhouse to have poetry and music on the same bill and Hill explains that the floor spot – open to both music and poetry – often features surprising characters.

“There’s a guy called James, you never know what he is going to do next. He is really theatrical and uses wildly different props.”

The surprise element sometimes produces the gems of the night.

”There was a 12-year-old girl the other day, she put us all to shame.

“She had never read before but she was so confident – you knew she would be reading on Radio 4 in 10 years’ time.”

Everyone gets five minutes and the idea is that R&M is a space for people to share their work.

They sometimes have performers who don’t want to leave the mic – though Hill insists they have become good at dragging them away kindly...

Rhythm and Muse, The cornerHOUSE, Douglas Road, Surbiton, Friday, March 6, 8pm to 10.30pm, £7/£5, call 0208 296 9012 or visit corner house. org