La Putyka

La Putyka is slang for ‘little run down pub’ in Czech. Many citizens of the Czech Republic will probably be familiar with what British people look like in one of their putykas, but for those of us who have never been on a stag or hen night to Prague, cirque nouveau troupe Cirk La Putyka has been dispatched to show us all what Czech people look like when drunk.

It’s closing time at the putyka and landlord Rostislav Novák – also the company’s artistic director – a figure who could have stepped straight out of Fellini’s La Strada, all rags and clown-paint, would like to share one more beer with us before he closes up. His sozzled regulars would also like to share some of their talents – clowning, adagio, reckless tumbling, wild tango on a trampoline, all backed by inventive live music and sound effects from the psychedelic dead-eyed band in the corner.

If, as the group claims, beer is the Czech equivalent of wine, then this is beer’s equivalent of bacchanalia. Oh, and there’s free beer afterwards. If this is what pubs in the Czech Republic are like, book me on the next flight.

Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 27 Aug (not 21, 22), 8.35pm, £13.