Arts in London> The Fightback
Silly Billy | 08.02.2002 17:01
I recently reported that vindictive Camden Council were about to close down an African show in the West End.
They did, but the cast take the show to the streets instead
They did, but the cast take the show to the streets instead
Umoja, Spirit of Togetherness, from South Africa has been victim of a petty and quite possibly spurious Noise Abatement order from Camden Council. Its odd, because the Shafesbury Theater in Holborn appears to be near nothing except offices, certainly few residential dwellings if any.
Undaunted, the South African performers, who were given no proper notice of the order (nor indeed were the theater-goers) did some of the numbers in the square outside on Thursday evening. (They may do so again, I think, but no details on this).
It is ironic that Cabot hall in Docklands is holding its own African musical show, Mbawula's Southern Grooves. Can it really be that the citadel of Thatcherite capitalism is more tolerant than Camden Council nowadays ?
PS: In a separate issue, the Union BECTU has discussed the possibility of holding strikes in London's theatre-land, rejecting a dersory 3.5 % pay offer.
Undaunted, the South African performers, who were given no proper notice of the order (nor indeed were the theater-goers) did some of the numbers in the square outside on Thursday evening. (They may do so again, I think, but no details on this).
It is ironic that Cabot hall in Docklands is holding its own African musical show, Mbawula's Southern Grooves. Can it really be that the citadel of Thatcherite capitalism is more tolerant than Camden Council nowadays ?
PS: In a separate issue, the Union BECTU has discussed the possibility of holding strikes in London's theatre-land, rejecting a dersory 3.5 % pay offer.
Silly Billy
