Category Archives: Uncategorized

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics..Embrace of the Serpent, A Bed of Shards, The Trials of Spring and Backlash Blues

Watch Embrace of the Serpent (Home), a stunning film about the price that indigenous people have paid for colonialism. This time it is the Columbian Amazon and the story of a shaman, Karamakate, who is the last survivor of his … Continue reading

Posted in drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, Middle East, political women, Salford, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics…The Gods of Wheat St., Reinstate Robert Czegely,Njinga, Queen of Angola and Labour Start

 Watch The Gods of Wheat Street (free on Youtube) a fantastic Australian television series (6 episodes) about an Aborigine family in rural Australia. Breaking with all the stereotypes of Aborigines it mixes magic realism, humour and pathos in telling the … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Fiery Women: my review of The Red Virgin and the Vision of Utopia by Mary M Talbot and Bryan Talbot and Petroleuse by Steph Pike

In 2016 we need our heroes and in these new  books there is much to remind us that another, fairer world is possible.  Mary M. and Brian Talbot’s graphic novel, The Red Virgin and the Vision of Utopia,  is about … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, labour history, Manchester, music, North of Ireland, novels, poetry, political women, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics..Measure of a Man,Manchester Histories Festival, Reveal in Bolton and Manchester music.

Watch The Measure of a Man or the French title The Law of the Market (Home)– another stunning film from France digging deep into the realities of life for the unemployed. Thierry, played by the wonderful Vincent Lindon, is 51, … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, music, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics.. Mustang, Dare to be Free,Tom Paine and Will and Anne

  Watch Mustang, a Turkish film that mirrors the deepening crisis of  democracy in that country and its effect on the lives of girls and young women. Five sisters live with their grandmother and, because of one innocent incident at … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, drama, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics.. Veronica Guerin, To Be Human, A Good Place to Hide

Watch Veronica Guerin (2003) on 29 May at  7.30pm at the Four Pound Film Club,  which is organised by the NUJ Manchester and Salford Branch.  Veronica was an Irish journalist who was killed by criminals in Ireland twenty years ago. … Continue reading

Posted in art exhibition, book review, education, feminism, films, human rights, Ireland, Manchester, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics… The Class, The Stars are made of Concrete,Spain in our Hearts

Watch The Class ( Film 4 on 19 May)  another brilliant French film which reflects on the changing nature of French society, and the  impact of new communities from ex-colonies in Africa. Based on a book written by a French … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, drama, education, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Uncategorized, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Keep a diary for the day on 12 May and make your mark on history!

History is dominated by the establishment. In books, television and radio the agenda is one of kings and queens, the First and Second World Wars, and generally the people with power. Where are the people who made this country a … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, education, feminism, labour history, political women, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Read my weekly roundup of radical arts and politics..new films on Joan Littlewood, Mass Observation, Nightmail and Zinky Boys

Watch                 O What a Lovely War; a Tribute to Joan Littlewood   (free, click on the link). It’s hard to imagine a character such as Joan running a theatre these days. An … Continue reading

Posted in book review, Communism, drama, education, feminism, films, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Stop,Look,Listen…my weekly selection of favourite films, books and events to get you out of the house

Watch Dheepan (Home)…how much do we really know about the refugees who escape war in their country and arrive in the west? Few people know about the war in Sri Lanka and the role of militants, the Tamil Tigers, who … Continue reading

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, drama, feminism, films, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, music, novels, political women, trade unions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment