On Cable Street stands a rather forlorn looking pub that in the thirties was frequented by Oswald Mosley and his Fascist cronies and in recent history was a strip joint. No longer Fascist in spirit but not adverse to naked ladies, the Old Ship is now a (badly-kept) secret location, overrun by kittens, that acts as an art-gallery, theatre, bedroom, atelier and speak-easy. It’s an invite-only establishment but if you’re lucky enough to get the call you’ll perhaps find artists like Aurora Poison creating beautiful capelets woven from human hair whilst around her mad people build wheelchair bound themepark rides, known to some as The bum-bum train.
Joe Royle and Aluin Mallinson, it’s ‘Captains’, believe the Old Ship is about ‘the people who sail in her’ and shiver me timbers this ship’s got a crazy lot of artistes on board! Its haphazard programme of performances and exhibitions is punctuated by bands like Kill Kenada wanting to capture its dilapidated wonder in their music videos. Some folk, Matt Lucas to be exact, borrow stuff from its collection of props for their wedding.
Future projects include an exhibition in conjunction with the Fordham gallery where artwork will be exchanged for foodstuffs. Watch live events unfold on their Selfcast or try your darndest to score an invite and you may even be lucky enough to asked to an Old Ship supper where you’ll feast merrily on Brazilian pig’s ear stew.