Rhythm and Muse, the popular poetry and music night at the Lion in Teddington is celebrating its second birthday later this month with a special performance away from home at the Mary Wallace Theatre.

For the anniversary celebrations Hill is delighted with the line-up she has put together for the show at the Twickenham venue - it features eccentric singer-songwriter Antony Elvin, stand-up poet Jude Simpson and accordion player Hannah Rose Tristram.

“There are lots of difeferent aspects to the whole line-up,” says Hill. “I really thought Antony would suit the red velvet seats and the intimate atmosphere of the Mary Wallace. Hannah is an accordion player and she brought the house down last time out at the Lion and has a great confidence about her.”

Hill’s own Speranza, a duo she performs in alongside Judith Watts, will complete the bill and bring the spirit of Oscar Wilde to the Rhythm and Muse proceedings.

“Speranza came about when I wrote a one act play, Stalking Oscar for the cornerHOUSE arts centre’s one act play festival,” she explains. “They wanted an interlude for before the play. Judith and I decided to reinvent the old form of poetry drama and we chose Speranza as our name as it was Wilde’s mother’s pen name.

“We have two distinct voices and styles and we are developing the act at the moment. We performed at the Roundhouse in May and it was good to be in a different environment with a younger crowd, although some of our poems about women getting older went over their heads!”

As a budding poet Hill founded Rhythm and Muse after being inspired by a trip to the Tongue and Groove night in Southsea and she is delighted her own version has taken off.

“I was thinking of setting up a poetry night and I went down to read at Tongue and Groove,” she explains. “I thought it would be really good for Teddington as there was nothing like it around.

“I went to the Lion and they asked if there would be an audience for it so I went and found one - it’s amazing how many writers and poets there are around here.”

Hill believes the blend of music and poetry is key to Rhythm and Muse’s success as it allows the night to shake off the staid atmosphere of a regular poetry club, where chin-stroking rather than dancing would be the order of the day.

“It is about attracting different audiences,” she adds. “Each night is a different mix and people come for different reasons. At other poetry nights people will go and just wait for the music to arrive. Having music lifts it and it is less intense than just having poetry all night.”

Over the two years Hill cites Racker Donnelly, who performed on the opening night, as her favourite act to have performed at the Lion and says that disappointing performances have been few and far between.

“We’ve only had a couple of people overstay their welcome, but they almost know they are which makes it hard. I co-present with Nick Poole and there was one woman who asked if she could do two more poems and we both said ‘no’ really loudly.”

Rhythm and Muse @ Mary Wallace Theatre, Twickenham, July 31, 8.30pm, rhythmandmuse.org