Keep Our NHS Public Benefit Night

The following is information on the Keep Our NHS Public benefit evening planned for this weekend - sounds like a good night out for a good cause if you are in the London area.


YOUR GOOD HEALTH!
Raising a toast to KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC
A special benefit performance

Sunday 18 October 4 pm

The New Players' Theatre

The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NG

Your entertainment and enlightenment will be hosted by:

Martin Soan, master of prop comedy
and his glamorous assistant
Pierrettes Cobaz (from Peckham)

For your entertainment

The Anna
Mudeka Band
The exhilerating,
body-swaying, vibrant sounds of Africa

Stewart
Harvey-Wilson
From Radio 4's
"The Spoken Word"

Ian Saville
Celebrated Socialist Magician: "Captitalism is in big trouble. He'll make it disappear".

Cevanne
Armenian sounds, renaissance songs, celtic strings

Elizabeth Mansfield
sings Piaf
Acompanied by Stephen Rose
"Mansfield delivers the famous songs superbly . . . " Guardian


WITH A BAR, BOOKSTALLS AND RAFFLE

Box office 020 7478 0135

Book in advance for an "early bird seat" £12 (£10 concessions)
Tickets on the door £15 (£12 concessions)

Pre and post show meals can be booked on 020 7930 5868

Help Keep Our NHS Public by joining/affiliating/donating

Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.

Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com

Dawkins Amongst New Supporters For Republic

Republic has announced further new supporters prominent in public life in Britain - famous scientist, atheist and secularist Richard Dawkins, playwright Peter Whelan and "legendary Clash bassist" Paul Simonon. The following is a recent press release from the campaign group:

RICHARD DAWKINS BACKS REPUBLIC'S CAMPAIGN FOR END TO MONARCHY

Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and author, has given his backing to Republic's campaign for the abolition of the monarchy. Campaign Manager Graham Smith told reporters:

"This is very exciting news. Richard sees that our campaign is at a turning point and that republicans must work together to drive forward change."

"We have the best chance in a generation to get rid of the monarchy and see a truly democratic Britain. I'm sure Richard's support will inspire republicans across the country to get actively involved in the campaign."

In response to Prince Charles' plans to be an 'activist King', Dawkins has written on his blog that:

"The whole point of a hereditary monarchy is that you can't opt out when it suits your convenience. You now have to ask who would be the best head of state in the whole country. And that means a proper election, in which William and Charles would, of course, be free to stand."

Dawkins joins an ever-growing list of high profile and distinguished republicans, which includes leading figures from politics, law, entertainment and the arts.

WHAT IS REPUBLIC?

Republic is a membership-based pressure group calling for the democratic replacement of the monarchy by an elected head of state. Republic lobbies politicians and opinion-formers, undertakes original research on the monarchy, comments on Royal stories in the media and provides information on republicanism.
Republic is a non-party-political organisation with members from all the main parliamentary parties. Its distinguished supporters include 20 MPs, as well as leading figures from politics, law and the arts. A full list of Republic’s supporters can be found at http://www.republic.org.uk/supporters.

Peter Tatchell To Speak After John Osborne Play In London

A Patriot for Me – by John Osborne

Followed by

The State of the Queer Nation - with Peter Tatchell

The New Players Theatre
Thursday 30 October 2008


7.30pm: A Patriot for Me – by John Osborne

10.30pm: Peter Tatchell Q and A on the play and on the unfinished battle for LGBT human rights.

Ticket price includes admission to both events.

In the post-performance Q and A, gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell discusses the issues raised in John Osborne's acclaimed play,
A Patriot for Me. He offers a perspective on the cultural changes since the play was written, and the still unequal status of LGBT people in contemporary Britain.

This new version of A Patriot For Me by John Osborne is directed by David Harris. It is set in the 1900s. Alfred Redl is an exemplary Austro-Hungarian soldier, working up through the ranks to Colonel whilst battling with his homosexuality. His struggle takes him on a riveting journey, through turbulent relationships, drag balls and espionage.

First performed in 1965, this play met huge opposition from the chief censor, the Lord Chamberlain, who only allowed it to be performed to membership club audiences. It went on to win The Evening Standard Best Play of The Year and crossed new boundaries in the representation of gay lives and loves.

Peter Tatchell praises the huge gains in equal rights for LGBT people over the last decade, but identifies key areas of discrimination that remain to be rectified. He is the Green Party's parliamentary candidate for Oxford East, began campaigning for queer freedom in 1969, aged 17. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Sylvia Pankurst, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, he adapted their direct action methods and invented a few of his own.

The New Players Theatre
The Arches

Villiers Street

London

WC2N 6NG
www.newplayerstheatre.com

Box Office: 020 7478 0135
Tickets: £20, £15 (concs) & £12.50 for 10+

Peter Tatchell's website is here.