Early on Sunday morning, a sunny, sharp winter chill in the air, I arrive at the beautiful Ukrainian Cathedral, a stone's throw from a serene and closed Selfridges. As I wait for people to arrive and talk to the Fathers, I realise this hub of activity, in the pre-shopping calm off Oxford Street, is where real community spirit lies. I talk to people about Marina Lewycka, speaking at the Library this Saturday as part of Bush BEE. Some understand English, others don't - but one thing is universal: they are proud of this prodigal daughter, of her success and fame. Some have heard of Marina's work, read it, are fans of her style of writing. Others are just glad to hear there is another event going on that has a Ukrainian focus.
Alongside the Saturday school, club and restaurants, there are also teenagers' activities, such as language classes, and outdoor initiatives. As this community grows and regenerates, children are brought up speaking the Ukrainian language, knowing their culture, mixing Ukrainian sounds with Amy Winehouse on their iPods and waiting for the first Ukrainian X-factor contestant.
I think about this form of local culture, how there is a range of groups on Facebook about being second generation, being BEE. How people feel there is something that binds them together, and how they will travel far and wide to events that are of interest - that appeal to them clearly. I realise that it is easy to settle in London - find the Cathedral, the club, your office, a flat and Oxford Street. It is much more difficult to find out which plays would appeal, which theatres are child-friendly, which ones do experimental work, classical work and which focus on new writing. In our mammoth West End marketing machine musicals and plays are ever-present, but how much does a recently arrived Ukrainian know about our contemporary writers and our new work?
I think of Marina's book being devoured by every third person on the tube, and how this is what a Ukrainian in London would notice, or a second generation BEE teenager, or anyone interested in literature. But how do they find out about shows?
I speak to a lot of foreign playwrights, drama students, MA students coming to London to study for a couple of years. They find musicals easy to follow, interesting as a form not produced widely in their country. They acknowledge the excellence and sheer choice on offer in the West End. I ask them about new writing. They always ask - is it good? Have you heard anything about this production? It seems that word-of-mouth, (a powerful marketing tool within audience circles), is something they're more respondent too; perhaps due to the size of their cities, perhaps due also to the verbal nature of their culture, or the academic style of theatre criticism.
I praise various playwrights, and ask, 'didn't you hear about this production, or that show?', and they invariably answer that they haven't - that they've read a review, but would prefer a personal recommendation, which I happily provide!
So I give a Ukrainian professor a call. She's already heard about our event. She is married to a fellow Ukrainian who runs a website which has included us. She is interested, she tells me this is hugely interesting for someone who's Ukrainian - it's just that we are competing with such a lot of other activities: all attractive in their own way, and all appealing to the community; which is large, and is made up of different waves of immigration and varied interests.
It turns out this is not a minority project at all. Once there are books and jokes and Facebook groups and shops with names in the actual languages, it is only a short step before a loyal keen audience begins to spread the word virally through the community, 'Come to the Bush. It has brilliant new, fresh voices - and you'll see them here first!'
Don't miss your chance to meet Marina and get your books signed! Please call the Box Office on 0208-743-5050