Lit Preview: Homework @ Bethnal Green Working Men's Club

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 140 months ago
Lit Preview: Homework @ Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
Tim Clare, Luke Wright and Joe Dunthorne at the Jubilee boat Homework / by Andy Tandy
Tim Clare, Luke Wright and Joe Dunthorne at the Jubilee boat Homework / by Andy Tandy
Ross Sutherland in A Comedian Dies in the Middle of a Joke
Ross Sutherland in A Comedian Dies in the Middle of a Joke

Homework is a new material try-out night from a group of funny, smart and leftfield performance poets (who are also novelists, journalists and comedians. If we were grumpier people we'd probably hate them) – namely Joe Dunthorne, Ross Sutherland, Luke Wright, Tim Clare, John Osborne and Chris Hicks.

This is the fifth year they've run a summer season of themed nights to test out new work. We went to this year's opener (if you don't count their Diamond Jubilee boat party) and were delighted by Joe Duthorne's rendition of a Middle Eastern story transposed to the middle of the London riots, John Osborne's tale of doomed love, Luke Wright rock 'n' roll riffing on John Cooper Clarke, a guest slot from Emmy the Great and Elizabeth Sankey and Ross Sutherland doing an amazing, hypnotic, touching poem/rap about life and death that exactly matched up with the looped credits of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Oh, and Russian Roulette karaoke, where you don't know what song you'll get.

The next night is this Wednesday and the theme is Games. We're very excited about seeing Ross Sutherland's murder-mystery / comedy night A Comedian Dies in the Middle of a Joke, plus all the usual shenanigans. It's very friendly, very fun and funny. You should go.

If you fancy seeing Joe and Ross plus Jake Arnott and a fair amount of free Jameson's cocktails, RSVP for Whiskey and Words on Tuesday in Rivington Street. Messers Arnott and Dunthorne will be reading from their recent novels, while Mr Sutherland hosts.

The next Homework is Wednesday 25 July at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, 42-44 Pollard Row E2. Doors open at 7.30pm, £5 on the door. Whiskey and Words is Tuesday 24 July at Material, 3 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, 7-9pm. RSVP to whiskeyandwords@teaandcakepr.com. Photo of Homework by Andy Tandy.

Last Updated 20 July 2012