At the unnervingly hip Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, people huddle around a long table piled with art materials, selecting pipe cleaners and Plasticine to turn into impromptu masterpieces.
But this is not a piece of random theatre, it's the latest thing in interactive entertainment: a night out where you make your own art.
At the monthly Hunga-Munga, bands and DJs play as partygoers are given free rein to make whatever they want from a huge selection of materials.
At one end Marcus and James, who have had a couple of drinks, are trying to make papier-mache in a bucket.
We want to build a man, but I don't know if the mix is ready, says Marcus. I haven't done papier-mache since I was about five and am quite excited.
Lloyd Ellis, who runs the event, explains the thinking behind it.
It's a very social thing, he says. It triggers something in people, maybe from their childhood. You talk to strangers, sit and paint with them and then, at the end of the night, get up and dance with them. You end up shaking it on the dancefloor with an inflatable Dalek.
Hunga-Munga aims to be unpretentious and prides itself on having materials people will have used at school. 'We don't want people who are scared of getting paint on their shoes', says Ellis. 'We want people who think they can't make art to make it. I think it would lose its charm if it became too professional. We want that full-on madness where you relax and make a mess.'
For those who would prefer to let their creative juices flow in a more refined environment, the company Paintjam hosts monthly art events and corporate parties at the Candid Arts Centre in Islington. Each person gets their own canvas and paint to work on for three hours, with wine and snacks provided.
Owner Mikele Brack says: 'The whole idea of it is that everyone is artistic. Many people are often surprised about what they create. It really engages people and they are absorbed for every minute of their time.
'Although there is no set objective for the evening, we always have a theme for our artists to fall back on if they have no idea what to paint'.
The night is mainly composed of professionals in their early 30s. And although the hefty £40 price tag tends to attract more City slickers than bohemian types (Hunga-Munga charges £5), the atmosphere is relaxed, with wannabe artists walking around, and chatting to each other among the easels.
Explaining the appeal of the night, Brack says 'It's easy enough just to go to the pub at the end of the day but this is something different ' you get to create something and challenge yourself.'
Across town at Notting Hill Arts Club, Craft Night has been going for almost two years. Run by Galia Durant and Serena Wilson, it is a mix of live bands, poetry and making stuff. 'I felt many nights out were really unrewarding, with too much standing around looking cool while waiting for bands to play, so I decided to set this up', says Durant.
On arrival you are given a personal bag of materials with everything needed for the night's craft, including instructions.
Past crafts have included sock creatures, cross-stitch, masks, finger puppets and miniature bead people. Durant explains that the London music scene can be cold and cliquey but the art element cuts through any tension, giving the night a friendly 'can I borrow your scissors?' quality.
She adds: 'I think people forget how gratifying it is to be creative, and our night aims to remind them it's really very simple.'
www.myspace.com/hungamunga
Information on other HungaMunga nights, including their 'makey day' at 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, E1
www.paintjam.co.uk
Booking details and news about Paintjam events and private parties.
www.nottinghillartsclub.com
Information about Craft Night (£6) and other events at Notting Hill Arts Club.
www.myspace.com/craftnight
Pictures, gossip and facts about Craft Night.
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