Jura Unbound: Homework – Fight For Your Right

• David Pollock
• 13 August 2015

This article is from 2015.

Katie Bonna

Bethnal Green spoken word night heads north

The idea behind Homework – the literary cabaret night held at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club – is simple. Its seven key writers and performers present a monthly piece of ‘homework’ around the same theme, whether it be poetry, short stories, stand-up, a script or a song. For this Edinburgh foray, the theme is liberty and social freedoms, to celebrate 800 years of Magna Carta. But, as co-founder Luke Wright explains, the night isn’t overtly political.

‘Spoken word is good at speaking out about social issues,’ he says, ‘but the danger is that you end up playing to the gallery. We're not really ranters – we confront in stranger, more offbeat ways.’

This show will present a full Homework house: Ross Sutherland, Katie Bonna, John Osborne, Joe Dunthorne, Tim Clare, Molly Naylor and Wright. ‘We all started out as poets,’ Wright says, ‘but we're branching out. John and Molly's sitcom will be on Sky 1 this autumn, Joe and Tim have written novels, Ross is making films, Katie is writing a film and I've just written a play [What I Learned from Johnny Bevan at Sumerhall]. We'll each have ten minutes or so to present a brand new piece inspired by the theme, and we'll be writing down to the wire. It might be a little shambolic but I have a feeling there will be some gems in there.’

Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 9pm, free.