I spent four glorious hours at London’s Southbank Centre (my favourite place in the world) earlier this month, listening to and participating in discussion about my favourite opera, Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute‘. My love for and interest in this sublime opera goes back 19 years – when I was living in Frankfurt studying German – and had to choose two topics in which to take an in-depth exam. Due to my interest in history and politics, I chose the Nazi Period. Due to my love of music (playing and listening), I chose the Magic Flute.
Continue reading “The Magic Flute”
Category: Arts & Culture
Museum of Grooves International Women’s Month Show
I really enjoyed taking part in Hackney based Reel Rebels Radio‘s Museum of Grooves’ International Women’s Month programme on Tuesday evening, following an invitation from the programme’s presenter Patrick Vernon OBE. Over the course of the show, Lambeth Councillor Jacqui Dyer and I discussed Hackney Community Law Centre, gender equality, mental health and our favourite tunes! You can listen to the programme HERE (my interview starts at 46 minutes approx).
Nine Lives (& Sir Ian McKellen!)
Congratulations to everyone at the West Yorkshire Playhouse for producing the brilliant ‘Nine Lives’ play, which I attended at Dalston’s Arcola Theatre last night, in order to support the work of the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG). Formidable Hackney Community Law Centre trustee Paul Dillane is UKLGIG’s Director.
Nine Lives focuses on the story of Ismail, a young gay man from Zimbabwe who fled the country after being persecuted because of his sexuality. Continue reading “Nine Lives (& Sir Ian McKellen!)”
Meeting Marlon James
A wonderful day at London’s Southbank Centre (my favourite place in London) yesterday attending its ‘Being a Man Festival‘.
I attended a few of the sessions but, by far, my favourite was the discussion entitled ‘Kanye West and the Paradox of Black Male Identity in Hip-Hop’, which was chaired by the writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun in conversation with 2015 Booker prize winner Marlon James and Matrix Chambers barrister Matthew Ryder QC.
Marlon was kind enough to sign a copy of his Booker prize winning ‘A Brief History of Seven Killings‘ for me afterwards.
Suffragette
I was honoured to be invited to watch the opening night’s screening of director Sarah Gavron’s new film ‘Suffragette‘ by her proud mum Nicky Gavron, my old boss, the former Deputy Mayor of London and still a London Assembly Member.
The film was superb. It was also the first time in Hollywood history that a film’s writer, director and main protagonists were all female.
To be so visually reminded of what the suffragettes went through – the police surveillance, community shunning, imprisonment, beatings, torture and force-feeding – strengthened my resolve to continue to play as full a role I can in the democratic life of this country.
Nicky is right to be so proud of Sarah for having made this vitally important film. We owe the Suffragettes our deepest gratitude and I’m glad this film has helped their own voices to be heard.