Step into a 17th-century English pub. The theatres are shuttered by England’s leader, Oliver Cromwell, and out-of-work actors and musicians gather where the people are — the pub! What happens next? Lively music, laughter, improvisation, and a raucous night of Baroque, sea shanties, and folk music. Alehouse Sessions re-creates this spirited world.
The one-hour program blurs the line between performance and party, combining dance, improvisation, and audience interaction to create a high-energy, immersive evening. The award-winning show smashes the traditional concert model to create an evening that is “innately theatrical, genre bending and suffused with great musicianship” (The Strad). Played entirely from memory, the concert mixes Purcell and Playford with shanties and folk songs and has been seen by sold-out audiences throughout Europe and the US. Think less “formal concert” and more “jam session from another century.”
Founded in 2005 by Norwegian violinist Bjarte Eike, Barokksolistene has become one of the most dynamic groups in historically informed performance. Known for virtuosity and ensemble precision, they also bring a sense of cheeky humor and excitement that makes the Alehouse Sessions unforgettable.
