The Hearth – a new night out

A “hearth” – for those of you who do not know – is a historic word for the fireplace. It was an integral part of the home; the central feature where the whole family came together.

 

This definition itself describes The Hearth perfectly. The stage is the captivating, warming fire, burning away brightly and beautifully. The hot drinks and cakes are the comfort factor (and absolutely free, which is comforting to the wallet too!) and the atmosphere gives the feel of a [good] family occasion. It is set in the back of a modern church and gives all the hospitality of a church without any scary religion and there are strictly no socks and sandals in sight.

 

As with all open mic nights, the quality of the entertainment depends solely on the audience’s creativity and contribution and the first night set the standard high.

 

Unlike other open mic nights, there is no alcohol provided, so you can expect wholly honest opinions and less people stumbling to the toilet every five minutes. The lack of alcohol also seems to provoke a concert-like feel instead of the usual ‘man in the corner of the pub screaming with his guitar while everyone tries carry on their conversations’ feel.

 

The Hearth gives a platform for people who are seasoned performers, people who haven’t even performed to their mirror and all people in between of all ages. There is no need to sign up before the actual night, so you can just get up on the stage and share your imagination with a few people and, if you wish to, the world through the wonderful technology of a video camera and the Hearth’s facebook page.

 

A free night out with great music, poetry, cake, silliness, friendliness and laughter. What more could you want?

 

A great alternative to a night out in Ipswich.

 

 

 

Words: Holly Barker

Images: Richard Mitchell