Join us for an eclectic evening of music, poetry and literature at The Social Produced by The Soho Poly and Disruptive Events.
The line up
The Attendant
Pete Astor’s new music/poetry project The Attendant headlines the evening. A bold new departure for the gifted song writer (The Loft, the Weather Prophets), The Attendant was inspired by the space lockdown provided to look at new ways to frame some of his poetry. Pete is joined on stage by fellow members Ian Button (Death in Vegas, Go Kart Mozart) and Andy Lewis (Paul Weller, Soho Radio), playing live samples, drum box and bass.
Richard Price
Richard Price's poetry is songlike and his songs are like poems. His Small World won the Scottish Poetry Book of the Year and Moon for Sale was a Guardian Pick of the Year, too. Hear him perform new work, including lyrics taken from his latest musical project The Loss Adjustors.
Between the Lines
Pete’s performance will also be supported by short readings from the Hannah Copley-led project Between the Lines, where lost female Olympic icons are reclaimed via poetry.
The Treatment
Acclaimed author Michael Nath will also read an extract from his latest novel, The Treatment, which examines the aftermath of a racist murder in South London. With echoes of the Stephen Lawrence case, David Peace wrote recently in The Guardian that ‘it remains a mystery to me how that book did not win every prize going and top the bestseller list for a year’.
New Order Ghost Gig
Opening the event is a repeat of The Soho Poly’s New Order Ghost Gig, a playback of their locally recorded 1985 concert.
About the event
polysocial is an offshoot of the Soho Poly Project and produced by Disruptive Events. Our mantra is that to disrupt your day with culture is a joy that should be available for everyone.
Since 2017, we've been putting on performances, gigs, fanzine workshops, exhibitions and ghost gigs, all inspired by and emanating from our Soho Poly base, a literal (Olympic) stones’ throw from the social*, and largely at lunchtimes to give people the chance to disrupt their working day. Find out more about our Disrupting the Everyday project.
Recently we produced ‘Dance’, the first new Soho Poly play for 30 years, first online during the 2020 lockdown and then, in July 2021, physically at the Kings Head. The event at The Social will be the second major off-site venture for the Soho Poly.
The Soho Poly was one of London’s most important alternative theatre venue between 1972 and 1990, a radical pioneer of lunchtime theatre and widening democratic access to the arts. This first polysocial does not disrupt time, but it does disrupt space, locating events for the first time in the basement of our fantastic local, The Social on Little Portland Street. Tying in with our philosophy, this first event showcases the concept and celebrates our friends and collaborators. All of the collaborators are connected to the University of Westminster in some way.
*if anyone would like to visit the Soho Poly you’d be more than welcome, ask Guy or Matt or keep an eye on our social media or website for public events [email protected] or [email protected]
