The Cherry Tree: Pub in Southwark, London

The Cherry Tree is an art venue in SE22, and it leans towards evenings where people get up and try something out. The open mic is a good clue. Expect poets, musicians and comics reading work they have only just finished, with the room more interested in the attempt than the polish. Art here tends to be close and hands-on. Nothing is staged to impress from a distance. You sit near the performers, hear the voice before the mic, and the talk afterwards is often as good as the show. It suits people who like watching work in progress and don't mind a rough edge. If you want slick and polished, look elsewhere. If you like seeing what someone has been quietly making, this is your kind of room.