Cold War Party at the Shunt Lounge
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I wonder if when Brezhnev turned to Nixon and said, 'one day we'll look back on all this and laugh', he could have envisioned that in 2012 he'd be lampooned by a slightly overweight, twenty-three year old marketing assistant wearing a pair of ridiculous comedy eyebrows? However, such was the scene at the Shunt Lounge in London Bridge last Thursday as a Cold War-themed party kicked-off a series of events for the underground venue's 'End of the World' month.
Entry on the night was dependent on receiving a unique invitation one month prior to the event, which stipulated which personality of the cold war era you would get to inhabit for the evening. I was to be the upstanding Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, mediator between Cuba and the Americans. That's okay, I like sitting on the fence and I actually once went out to volunteer in Costa Rica a few years back, so I felt I had the role down. However, I like everyone else upon entering, enviously peered around the room looking to see who got the coveted Che Guevara and Jackie Kennedy roles. Inevitably they were played by a pair of annoying hipsters, even worse as they appeared to be a couple! Following their appearance talk of conspiracy echoed from the gloomy arches of the Shunt.
I have to say, the quality of costume varied massively throughout the evening. I'm quite sure the follically-challenged gentleman playing Mikhail Gorbachev had a dollop of dried strawberry jam on his forehead. However, Fidel Castro was marvelously accurate, too bad he had to stand outside to light his cigar. In-fact, the guy playing Castro was a Colombian living in London and like the Cuban leader had also spent time as a volunteer in Guatemala. Albeit in a slightly less revolutionary capacity. Maybe there was a method to our character allocations after all. Che Guevara, a rich kid slumming it with the prolls, likes French berets and scraggily beards - a bit of a hipster, now I think about it!
The DJ (Chairman Mao) managed to hold everything together with the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Sparks. Fittingly, the Communists managed to group together for a football chant-like rendition of the Soviet Union national anthem. The west's response was mostly to sneer and go back to nursing their cans of Red Stripe.
The next instalment of the Shunt's end of the world season takes place next Thursday night with a Mayan inspired evening of ritual sacrifice and Tequila. Dress-code is likely to be somewhat more relaxed for this event - Sandals and loincloths optional. However, be sure to reserve tickets before attending, this will no doubt sell out!
John Atkinson is a London-based freelance journalist with a mission to make you a better and happier human being. Drawing attention to the peculiarities of life in the modern age is all part of the package. Check out his other articles for everything you need to know about travel destinations and volunteer in Costa Rica.
Category Article Lounge, Party, Shunt
