Soho Bites 6: Expresso Bongo (1959)

Black coffee and cigarettes. Soho are synonymous. In this episode we talk to London tour guide, Nika Garrett about the 1950s coffee revolution and find out where she goes for the best Espresso Martini in town. HINT

Nika moved to London from Warsaw 10 years ago for love (that of a charming Irish man) and subsequently began a second love affair – with Soho. Nika loves coffee, art and history and runs walking tours on all of these subjects.

You can book a tour and find all her social media contacts at www.mylondonwalks.co.uk

And Sioned Wiliam joins us to discuss her favourite Soho film, Expresso Bongo from 1959. Starring Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms and a very young Harry Webb (AKA Cliff Richard) as Bert Rudge (AKA Bongo Herbert), it’s a satire on the entertainment industry and a kitsch classic.

Sioned is a writer & broadcaster. She is the former Controller of Comedy at ITV and currently the Commissioning Editor of Comedy at BBC Radio 4. You can follow her on Twitter at @sionedwiliam

Expresso Bongo trailer

Drink a flat white / espresso martini while listening to the Soho Bites specially curated coffee songs.

Watch Expresso Bongo at the BFI website HERE

The originator of Soho Bites, Dr Jingan Young, has launched a new research project. Find out all about it on the Cities in Cinema website and follow the project on Twitter.

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