1968 Olympics: Tommie Smith and John Carlos in the 200 metre final/Picture courtesy of SALUTE The Movie Film: SALUTE Director: Matt Norman Released by: Arrow Films Review by Joy Francis On 16 October 1968, at the Olympics in Mexico City, African-American 200 metre gold medallist Tommie Smith and bronze medallist John Carlos raised their black-gloved… Continue reading SALUTE

Senegalese musician and FORWARD ambassador Carlou D and guests will be in conversation with Ade Daramy of Colourful Radio to discuss the power of music and other art forms in ending female genital mutiliation (FGM) and the important role male artists have to play in the campaign. This will be followed by a fundraising concert… Continue reading Carlou D and guests in conversation

Confrontation: Charles Mnene (The Fear The Thug) and Michael Elkin (The Fight)/Picture by Mawgan Gyles Play: Mottled Lines Theatre: Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond Playwright: Archie W. Maddox Review by Veronique Christie Inspired by last year’s summer riots the central theme of Archie W. Maddox’s debut play is about not being heard. To illustrate his point,… Continue reading Mottled Lines

Screenwriter Jo Ho and Spirit Warriors: Benedict Wong (Prometheus, Sunshine) and Jessica Henwick Award-winning screenwriter Jo Ho has chalked up an impressive film and TV resume in a relatively short time. In her mid-20s, after five years of working in film production, she taught herself to write by watching the first season of The West… Continue reading Interview with Jo Ho

On the eve of the first anniversary of last year’s riots comes Mottled Lines. Written by newcomer Archie W Maddocks and directed by Henry Bell, this unflinching and poetic play tells the story of five very different people, from a politician’s heartfelt plea for law enforcement, an angry youth’s lament for rapidly reducing local services,… Continue reading Mottled Lines

Birthing pains: Lisa Dillon (Lisa) and Stephen Mangan (Ed)/Picture by Johan Persson Play: Birthday Theatre: Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs Playwright: Joe Penhall Review by Joy Francis A pattern appears to be emerging in the recent plays of Joe Penhall. Haunted Child, his first play in four years, featured a middle class couple, a disintegrating… Continue reading Birthday

Joy Francis (left) with the Have women got Twitter clout? panel/Picture credit: Lee Townsend Women make up 50 per cent of media staff, 50 per cent of the world’s population with an equal split with men in their use of social media. Yet women are continually hard to spot on any list that relates to… Continue reading Talking clout

Our writer-in-waiting has been on the Royal Court Theatre’s Critical Mass Programme, Invitation and Super Groups and has been informally attached to the Clean Break Theatre. She has had rehearsed readings of her plays at the Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Young Vic, Young Actors Theatre and Tristan Bates Theatre.

Wasafiri, the magazine of international contemporary writing and the Open University launches a Poetry Parnassus, with a poet from each Olympic country participating in the biggest celebration of verse ever seen in this country. The five featured poets are Agnès Agboton, Elaine Feinstein, Anthony Joseph, Mimi Khalvati and Jeet Thayil. Date: Wednesday 4 July 2012… Continue reading Celebrating International Poetry

Sydenham Arts Festival 2012 is currently looking for short plays for its script-in-hand performance Battle of the Bards, taking place on Thursday 12 July. Eight plays will be selected by the festival directors, Jonathan Kaufman and Juliette Grassby-Lewis, who will co-direct the performance on 12 July. Industry professionals will provide comments on the evening and… Continue reading Battle of the Bards