A show about Ivor Cutler with songs by Jane Bom- Bane? Does life get any better? There might not be a Spiegeltent this year, but as David Bramwell, curator of all things Odditorium, will tell you...
The show must go on
Since 2014, I’ ve had the privilege of curating events for the Spiegeltent and Bosco Theater during the Brighton Fringe, under the name Odditorium Presents. Thanks to the support of the Spiegeltent team, I’ ve been able to put on the likes of Alan Moore, Viv Albertine, Iain Sinclair, Rupert Sheldrake, Jeremy Deller and Lucy Cooke.
There have been shows themed around Goth culture, death, Neolithic relics, Aphex Twin, psychedelics, magic and – one year – a two-hour event dedicated to the music of Kraftwerk. For this one, two ticket holders actually turned up expecting a night of hot tips on felt-making and macrame and left a trifle disappointed. Another couple wandered into the wrong tent and watched a whole 90 minutes worth of a queer-themed cabaret before realising that perhaps this wasn’ t‘ some kind of Kraftwerk warm-up act’ and they were in the wrong place.
Last year, for a night called Nothing Short of a Total War in the Spiegeltent, at the climax of a show by a performance art group, Coum Flakes, as one band member was smashing up concrete gravestones with a mallet, another was handing out dog biscuits to the audience and a third was loudly‘ performing’ a written document from his bank about the details of a loan – and all to the accompaniment of heavy industrial music – the roof of the nearby Bosco Theater blew clean off. Was it the wind or had we awakened the mighty forces of the Avant Garde? Either way, it was a night to remember.
Earlier this year it came as a huge blow – but not a great surprise – to learn that there will be no Spiegeltent this May due to ongoing council work redeveloping Valley Gardens. It will be missed. Not just as a vibrant venue but- for many of us- as the very heart of Brighton’ s month-long festivities. We await its return.
But a chap’ s still got to make a living( of sorts) so Odditorium fans take cheer, there will be a couple of special events this May to tickle your fancy.
On Tuesday 6th at Horatio’ s Bar on Brighton Pier I’ ll be hosting Visionary Artists of Sussex, comprising films, conversation and illustrated talks that explore the work of some of our most inspiring artists.
In conversation will be artist Stanley Donwood best-known as the creator of the album artwork for Radiohead and The Smile albums, and for the iconic book covers of
nature writer Robert McFarlane, including Underland and his latest, Is a River Alive? Stanley’ s work veers from the apocalyptic to hallucinatory visions of nature.
Also on the night will be a rare showing of Fran Young’ s a short documentary about Brighton seafront’ s Flint Grotto( created by retired fisherman Rory McCormack) plus conversation with and a short film about Jim Sanders, best known as creator of The Spirit House a monumental art installation that Sanders effectively inhabits and in which shaman-like rituals and performances take place.
And finally artists Emma Carlow, Jo Lamb and Isobel Smith will share how they came to dodge art world gate keepers – and allow themselves limitless imaginary funds to enable their creative imaginations to run riot – through the creation of an imaginary Arts Foundation, Fondamento Scherzo.
In the summer of 2022 the trio’ s fictional benefactors generously funded an imaginary trip to Japan. In 2023 the Sussex village of Slynde was invented, with tales centred around a Priory, an anchorite, a pantomimehorse burial site, a box of old puppets and a bogey man, the Earl of Slynde. In 2024, they exhibited their Slynde findings at Glynde Place, and they delved deeper into the character and pursuits of their imaginary backers, Gloria, Lorenzo and Fabrice Scherzo. This trio of artists continue to swerve and merge fantasy and reality, empowering other artists to do the same. This too, promises to be a memorable evening!
Near the end of the month, in what is arguably Brighton’ s smallest and most enchanting venue, Bom-Bane’ s musical restaurant in Kemp Town, I’ ll be doing a second Odditorium May event celebrating the life and works Ivor Cutler – best-known for his funny, surreal and bittersweet poems and songs – together with a talk about the history of the world’ s worst orchestra, better-known as the Portsmouth Sinfonia. Expect plenty of pregnant pauses, knees pickled in cheese and a harmonium drenched song or two at the end from myself and Jane.
l David Bramwell hosts Brighton’ s monthly spoken word event, The Catalyst Club. His latest book, co-written with former head druid, Philip Carr-Gomm is The Long Man and Friends: Sacred Sussex( A Sussex Guide).
l Visionary Sussex Artists Horatio’ s Bar Brighton Pier Tuesday May 6th 7.30pm
l Ivor Cutler, Brian Eno on Clarinet, David Bramwell and Jane Bom-Bane, Bom-Bane’ s Restaurant Sunday May 25th 8pm
For news of Odditorium and Catalyst Club events go to www. drbramwell. com
For these events and more go to https:// www. ticketsource. co. uk / dr-bramwell