The Beatles’ song Revolution blasted from two loud speakers as anxious poets and storytellers awaited the chance to express their individual viewpoints on the ideology of revolution at the Whitechapel Art Gallery event ‘Vintage Poison/Revolution!’
The group of performers were each given a five-minute time slot, wherein they were in absolute creative control. Some people recited poetry and some just observed in silence.
The moderator of the event, Lucy, said the only rules were ‘no eye-rolling or bursting into random song’ while performers were in front of the microphone – and judging by the eclectic audience ranging in age from 18 to 65, this warning seemed almost necessary.
Vintage Poison/Revolution! was held in the second-floor cafe of the gallery. The spacious area, adorned with windows facing an office building plastered with sayings like ‘Save the police time, beat yourself up,’ also housed a bar complete with espresso, wine and even beer.
Perhaps the most eye-catching item in the space was the table and chairs placed in the middle of the room strewn with paper and coloured pencils, encouraging patrons to draw. While a group of adults is not usually known for colouring pictures in public, it proved to be quite a big hit prior to the performance pieces.
However, the highlight of the evening – perhaps coming far too early in the line-up – was the third performance. Sue, a woman in her 60s, approached the microphone following a performance by a twenty-something woman. She appeared timid at first, nervous to be in front of the group seated mere inches away.
She said, “I may not look like a revolutionary, but I assure you, I am one.”Speaking out against secular revolution, Sue used her five minutes to voice her concerns on gender (she’s a feminist), religion (she’s an atheist), death, and elitism. By the end of her performance she could have very easily said ‘Who’s with me?’ and it is possible every hand in the place would have shot up.
Claudia Saric, 22, said, “Sue was my favourite performer of the night. She completely blew me away. I’m not normally very moved by poetry or free verse, but she was fantastic.”
The open mic night at the Whitechapel Art Gallery happens each Wednesday at 7pm, unless otherwise posted. The environment is very relaxed and the atmosphere has a creative buzz to it. People are free to move around as they wish, checking out the art exhibitions aroundthe gallery. Easily accessible on the Hammersmith and City line, the free event is definitely worth attending.
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