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July 16 2012 Greetings I have recently returned from performing in three festivals over six weeks in America and Canada, with new awards from the Lo
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 Photo of Awards. Click image to go to Newspaper Announcement |
July 16 2012
Greetings
I have recently returned from performing in three festivals over six weeks in America and Canada, with new awards from the London Fringe, where Call Mr. Robeson was selected by the patrons for the Impresario Award (most popular show) at the McManus Studio and by the Fringe directors for the Best Actor and Best Original Work Awards! To also have a photo and an excellent review in the front page of the London Free Press life section didn't hurt either! |
A great reception too at Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC and then later at the DC Black Theatre Festival. In all these places, I made quite a few lovely new friends, and great contacts that will hopefully lead to yet more opportunities to share Paul Robeson's inspiring story far and wide.
As always, in the programme notes for each venue I write a paragraph relating Robeson to current events: In Charleston, the Presidential race; In London, the European financial crisis, and in DC, forced eviction over gold exploitation in Columbia and the work of a small organisation, TransAfrica. These and other earlier programme notes are on the recent performances page of my website.
A Killing in Kitchener
Another piece of writing I did in Canada, which I sent to the London Free Press, but didn't even get an acknowledgement for, concerned the killing of a young black man in Kitchener, Ontario. I have published it as a blog: Ontario: A Safe Haven for All? Readers are welcome to comment. and/or get involved as they see fit. |
 Click image to view programme |
4th of July, Paul Robeson and Woody Guthrie
I spent most of my last week in the US at Common Ground on the Hill - a great traditional arts festival in Northern Maryland, and somehow American Independence Day celebrations passed me by. It turns out however, that on that date, Paul Robeson received some good coverage on the always excellent independent news station, Democracy Now! in their special on the centenary of the great radical singer, Woody Guthrie. I am proud to call the day's studio guest Will Kaufman a friend of mine, and highly recommend his All You Jim Crow Fascists. Click on the DN! logo to watch the programme: The section on Woody Guthrie and Paul Robeson at Peeksikill starts at 32:17. |
 Click to view trailer |
Forthcoming Performances, UK:
I am aware that one or two of the links on this list are yet to be updated or corrected, but here is current information for the rest of this year:
July 20: Fundraiser for Stop the War, The Casa, Hope Street, Liverpool (Selection of songs from the show). Doors open 7.30. Tickets: £10 waged and £7 unwaged payable on the door on the night.
August 26, 27: Greenbelt Festival, Cheltenham Race Course
October 6: Capstone Theatre, Liverpool
October 13: Otley Courthouse (website soon to be updated)
October 14-21: South Yorkshire Schools. Details tbc
October 22: Hawth Theatre, Crawley
October 23: Merlin Theatre, Frome
October 24: Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury
October 25: Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham
October 26: Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
November 18: Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
These and a few more dates into 2013 are on the performance dates page of my website, and it is updated regularly with any new listings, including, hopefully, performances outside the UK.
If you know people in these places, please consider forwarding this email to them. They can click on the photo to see a trailer of the play. |
The Summer Rain...?
After watching devastating forsest fires in Colorado, wilting in the searing heat of Charleston, being caught in a sudden tornado that caused thousands to lose power in and around DC for weeks, and now the almost constant chilly drizzle of Liverpool, and flooding in South UK, I'm likely to remain indoors much for much of the summer, working on getting more bookings for the rest of this year and beyond (new enquiries and leads are always welcome!!). There's no doubt that there are funny things going on with the environment, and it's sometimes difficult to to see what difference small individual actions can make. Still, I was thrilled to be able to help my hostess in London, Ontario install a water butt at her house.
I pray that the Greenbelt Festival doesn't get washed out as others have been so far. For those of you going to the world's largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe next month, check out two of my talented firends performing there: Magdalena Reising (Jazz harp) and Naomi Paul (comedy) Highly recommended!
Here's wishing you a peaceful, reasonably dry summer.
Tayo Aluko |
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