one4review | On 06, Aug 2013

Atheism is on the move – and that move is to stand up and sing Build Me Up Buttercup with plenty of like-minded people, of a Sunday lunchtime. And why not?

This was less a show, more a joyous celebration of life, under the catchphrase “Live better. Help often. Wonder more.” And you can’t help but feel that yes, it is living better to be spending an hour of your weekend in a Bingo Hall, enjoying coffee, pastries, or a Bucks Fizz, and raising your voice, not in praise of anything, except the mere fact that you’re fortunate enough to have a voice, and can do fun things with it.

Add to that the highly entertaining guest poet Kate Fox, whose witty lines were spot on to the ‘congregation’, and the guest speaker for the event, Sandi Toksvig, and you really have an event on your hands. Sandi’s talk was informative, illuminating, and funny. But anyone who knows her work already knows that. Godless, irreverent, and occasionally emotional – yes, I know, you probably knew that too.

What you may not know is how nice it is to get the fun bits of church shared around with us non-believers. Life, Oh Life, as Des’ree says. It is fun. Live better. Help often. Wonder more at how you’ve so far been missing the party. Then next week, be there.

Laughing Horse @ New Empire Bingo

11^th & 18^th August. 12:00.

This review is of the regular Sunday event. The organisers also host a similar themed show “Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans – Wonder and Joy” at Heroes @ The Hive daily (not 14^th or 21^st) at 19:30 (50 mins).

Reviewed by Gill