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British Nigerian Artist Enjoys Learning Exchange in "Class" 4 November 2021 Greetings, I am sending this out on the day Episode 2 of Temple (Series
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British Nigerian Artist Enjoys Learning Exchange in "Class"
4 November 2021 |
Greetings,
I am sending this out on the day Episode 2 of Temple (Series 2), airs on Sky TV. The series opened last week, but I see it is already available as a box set. I play a very, very important man in it, albeit for a small part of the episode. I might even be seen in the next episode too. |
 Click to go to performances page for updates |
Here is the list of forthcoming performances and appearances:
November 4: Temple, Series 2. SkyTV (Ep2) (Series launch, Oct 28)
November 13: ONLINE: Paul Robeson’s Love Song, plus Q&A. Tickets
November 14: ONLINE: Paul Robeson’s Love Song, plus Q&A. Tickets
November 17: Call Mr. Robeson @ The Media Factory, UCLan, Preston, Lancs.
November 19: Call Mr. Robeson @ Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, Humberside
November 20: Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, Humberside
November 26: Call Mr. Robeson @ Royal Court Theatre Studio, Liverpool
November 27: Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ Royal Court Theatre Studio, Liverpool. (In association with Liverpool Black Men's Group) |
Recently:
I was invited to be part of a rehearsed reading of a new play, The Village Hall, by Tabby Lamb, as part of Liverpool’s Homotopia Festival. It was great to be part of the development of what I’m sure is going to be a charming, successful play.
I recorded a new poem recently – written after many Liverpool folks failed to persuade our council to cancel a trade fair for weapons manufacturers. Here, with an introduction, is Peace Petals from Merseyside.
My first on-stage performance of Call Mr. Robeson since June took place in Pontypridd, South Wales last Friday. This came about quite quickly, so my apologies that I wasn’t able to announce it in the last newsletter. In my programme note, I related Robeson’s treatment by the media and the Establishment to that of two political prisoners in the UK: Julian Assange and Craig Murray.
From my home, I presented the workshop Exploring “Greatness” to a class at a school in Burnley, North West England. It was nice to hear 15-year-old children of immigrants giving their take on colonialism and racism in response to my poem. |
Class of a different sort was referred to by Russ Chandler, who posted a photo on Facebook showing how he and his wife enjoyed red wine and a cake along with Paul Robeson’s Love Song, hosted by two groups for Rotherham’s Black History Month, and funded by some local trade unions. I am very happy to get the endorsement of Russ, who just happens to be the author of a small book, Hold The Line: Echoes of Peekskill, about that episode so central to the life of Paul Robeson and the recent history of the United States, but about which too little is known or spoken. I will be playing it on Zoom again in a few weeks, so see above for how to get tickets. |
I have been filmed as a minor character a low-budget feature West African film, shot in London and have had several auditions, one or two of which also appear on the point of bearing fruit over the next few months. More information will hopefully be forthcoming in the next newsletter.
Also a few weeks ago, I was invited by the Resist Movement to sing at their Festival of Resistance. I presented what I called Spirituals of Resistance – a survey of Black History from pre-transatlantic slavery times to the present day, illustrating it with slides and spirituals. I was sandwiched between two great activist artists, Lowkey and Joe Solo. |
I wrote an article about late Nigerian feminist, anti-imperialist activist, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, published in Counterfire last month.
Finally, Metal Liverpool announced a while ago that I was one of seven Merseyside artists to be awarded artistic residencies for 2021/22. I will be using the opportunity to start work on a screenplay about Nigerian-born Pastor Daniels Ekarte, who has fascinated me for many years. |
 Joe Solo performs "Lefty Pinko Scum" | |  Vanessa Nakate |
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Parting shots.
Joe Solo, who described himself at the event as “a washing machine engineer by trade, and no intellectual,” opened with an absolutely brilliant new poem, which is a short guide for people wondering where they are on the Left of politics. He has very kindly done a special recording of it for me to share with you, even ahead of its formal publication. Click on his image to hear his Lefty Pinko Scum.
And finally, as the world watched and listened to global leaders pontificating about what they will do differently from the previous 25 failed COP(out) summits, I enjoyed, and took hope from this young Ugandan woman’s interview for Time Magazine: Vanessa Nakate
That’s all for now. I wish you all the best as we struggle against the forces reigned against us, many of which we can actually do something about.
Yours,
Tayo Aluko |
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