Rent Party

If it’s November then it’s time for Liverpool’s annual Homotopia festival!

Tonight I was lucky enough to be at the Unity theatre to see a performance of ‘Rent Party’, a piece which was co-created by Homotopia’s Guest Curator, the Washington DC born, Manchester based, writer, director and performer, Cheryl Martin.

The official description sums it up perfectly...

‘Rent Party is a 21st-Century Austerity Britain immersive show, inspired by the 1920s Harlem Renaissance Rent Parties. Just like in the ‘20s, we invite you – the audience – to pay to come to a party, so that we can make this month’s rent. We’ll entertain you with all our artist friends; dancers, singers, musicians, poets, who will create a kaleidoscopic picture of what it means today to be young, gifted, and black – and poor, and gay. Being broke never looked so fierce!’

I’ll only add that the cast of 5 delivered pitch-perfect performances, conveying humour, political satire, personal heartbreak and unalloyed joy absolutely beautifully. And I haven’t even mentioned their song and dance credentials yet! Awesome.

At the end of the performance the whole audience joined the cast on stage for a dance and, although my rug-cutting skills are still a little limited by the new hip, I did bust a few rather tentative moves ...but thought twice about attempting to vogue!

Today’s blip subject is Stuart Bowden, who played the host of the Rent Party and who was kind enough to have a quick chat and pose for some pictures after the show. See also the Extra shot...

Here’s Gwen Guthrie with ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent’ https://youtube.com/watch?v=szM7x0N9Ru4