5x15, the finest literary cabaret in London

From writer Judith Kerr to philosopher Alain de Botton, an evening of brilliance... and tears
Jessica Lambert15 May 2012

Once you know what 5x15 is, it’s a delightfully concise name. But try telling your friends that they really must go to a 5x15 night and they might assume you’ve discovered the joys of a recreational maths club.

In fact it’s an evening of literary cabaret where you’re seduced by ideas instead of flesh – the ideas exciting and the speakers brilliant. At each event the five speakers have fifteen minutes to tell you a story, explain a theory or reveal something about their lives. Scripts are strictly forbidden – if you don’t have the passion you’re not going to be one of the five.

5x15 has been going since 2010, when it was dreamt up by veteran journalist Rosie Boycott, her daughter Daisy Leitch and the literary events promoter Eleanor O’Keeffe. Over the last two years, speakers have included Alain De Botton, Ruby Wax, Will Self and Melvyn Bragg. Every event has been a sell out.

It was while stuck in a particularly dull lecture that Boycott realised most of us are now used to being constantly entertained by tweets, Facebook updates, breaking news. Which is why 5x15 is such a winning formula – just like flicking through several good websites, you get a series of brief, captivating insights. But unlike staring at a computer, you’re face to face with someone fascinating in a room full of engaged people.

That room is the upstairs of The Tabernacle, a beautifully converted church just off Portobello Road. Seated at large round tables lit by fairy lights are people of all class and ages.

With half a century between the oldest and youngest speaker – you got an impressive range of anecdotes. Judith Kerr – the 88-year-old writer of When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and The Tiger Who Came to Tea – talked about meeting her future husband in the BBC canteen, at a time when television was a strange new medium that few people had ever seen.

At the other end of the generational scale was American journalist and scientist writer Jonah Leher at 31. He spoke about why grit and single-mindedness are more important than talent and intelligence, the subject of this new book, How Creativity Works.

Also on stage was Nigerian poet and novelist Ben Okri who talked about the origins for the 10th Century Persian poem The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, and American urban designer Scott Burnham, who’s developing radical new ways for us to interact playfully with the cities in which we live.

The fifth speaker was a strikingly beautiful woman with high, feline cheekbones, Turkish novelist Elif Şafak. Her vivid and lyrical recollections of her politically tense childhood in Turkey made you wish – as all the best writers do – that you had the eloquence to capture your own life so well.

But the most moving performer of the night was Kerr, who finished her talk by reading out her latest children’s picture book. Her husband, whom she had described so lovingly, died six years ago and the book’s fanciful, light-hearted rhymes are about the fantastic adventures that she still dreams of having with him. By the time she finished, half the room was in tears.

The talks were wonderful but it seemed a shame they didn’t progress into an open dialogue – like a modern version of the 19th Century salon.

But you can always create a small salon of your own by going with a group of friends – you’ll want to discuss everything you’ve just heard.

The next 5x15 will be held on May 21at The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, W11 2AY. Tickets are £15 – £20 and can be booked online at http://www.5x15stories.com.

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