A proper old boozer in Kilburn isn’t your obvious destination to enjoy a little fringe theatre action…
The other day we popped to the theatre above the Cock Tavern in Kilburn to see the play Subs (which runs until 7 September), and afterwards my pal surprised me with this impromptu review of the pub below...
Hey Park Life! Thought I’d send you this review of the Cock Tavern for kicks… Love, Amy
What a fascinating local watering-hole, that was. Nestled pungently between McDonalds and Argos, the Cock Tavern welcomes local friends with breezy, Dali-esque arrangements of tables, each with a delightful character from the local populace nursing his warm, aged cider between moist palms. Indeed, the Cock is very much about history, from the antique-ish, stained chairs, to the month-old cut moldering flower decorations, to the swirling carpet.
The long, inviting bar is well-stocked and a great place to swap observations, as you wait for the single, harassed, member of staff to work her way down the line of parched, animated drinkers which are an incongruous cocktail of red-cheeked locals and unwitting visitors to the tiny theatre above. Endeavouring to do what most would shy away from in terms of decoration, the Cock uniquely unites the old and new with jumble sale prints, jauntily resting alongside five plasma screens. And what it lacks in air freshener (if Jo Malone did the fragrance, I think it would be called ‘Portaloo’), it more than makes up for in location, being a mere stone’s throw from buses, tubes and an overland train station. But then you might not be heading there for the boozer part – just the bijoux bench-seated theatre above.
If that isn’t enough info about the theatre itself, let’s just say it’s pretty small, fairly hot and quite dark – and what it lacks in drama in its surroundings it should compensate for in whatever the performance is. We say, judge for yourself. Hey don’t expect the West End. But it’s a decent cultural diversion if you’re on West End Lane…
COMING SOON TO THE COCK THEATRE
Edward Bond Season 14 September–13 November
Six Edward Bond plays From six decades of British theatre:
Olly’s Prison
The Pope’s Wedding
The Under Room
The Fool Red
Black & Ignorant
…and the world premiere of a brand-new play, especially commissioned for this season.
TICKETS: £12/£10 concession; ALL PREVIEWS: £10; a limited number of £5 tickets available.
{ 0 comments… add one now }