Is it poetry, theatre, or a booze-up in a bar?
Well Oi Barman! is sort of all three, with spoken word artist Joshua Idehen sharing ancedotes from his ten years experience as a bartender and the overheard conversations in London’s cocktail bars and the antics of its diverse barflies. Just to get you into the spirit, this immersive performance at the Bird of Smithfield bar in Farringdon also includes a free cocktail with your ticket. Take your pick from an intriguingly named selection – Pornstar Martini, Sex on the Beach and Woo Woo.
With all the audience gathered in a Farringdon bar, Bird of Smithfield, it is anything but a conventional theatrical performance. Perhaps, taking us back to the days of Shakespearian theatre when theatre was performed in taverns and, similarly, standing only. But somehow one expects this contemporary bard to have more relatable stories than The Bard. He was poet-in-residence for Wimbledon Festival and the Free World Centre and also produced a Howl.2.0 show named after an Allen Ginsberg poem.
Later, there was an aftershow party themed on city nightlife with more spoken word performances as well as MCs and DJs contributing to a night dedicated to London’s club culture.
Oi Barman! Bird of Smithfield, Birdcage venue, 26 Smithfield St, Farringdon, London, EC1A 9LB. Nov 21-22
