On Line
You
can e-mail us at
info@n16mag.com
In this issue
Cover image
Back to Schooldays
Rowson's Comment
Around the Block
News in Brief
Stop the War
Mini-march
Lysistrata Day
Fringe Festival
Straight to the Point
Time to Finnish
Day in the Nick
Starting Over
Readers Letters
Herbal Cleansing
Local Music
Tripping Out
Tippling at the Tup
Property
Housing Matters
Very Testi
Art Happenings
Vietnamese Food
Entertainment
Gardening
Marathon Man
Surfing N16
Man in North Bank
Xword
Page
by Page
1 - 2 - 3 -
4 - 5
6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
11 - 12 - 13 - 14 -15
16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20
21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25
26 - 27 - 28 - 29 -30
31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35
36 - 37 - 38 - 39
OnLine Edition
Designed by
The N16 WebWorks
p8
It was probably an
innocent misunderstanding. But it was waiting to happen.
Peter Kennard, long-established Stokey artist/ activist, was refurbishing his Cold War
banner for the February 15 march against the war. Yes, of course, I'd be proud and happy
to accompany it on the big day. I just didn't realise it was 10 feet high. And that it
wouldn't fit neatly – or legally – onto a 73 bus. And that, as a consequence,
we'd have to walk all the way from Stokey to the centre of London, and join one of the
most awesome gatherings seen in Britain for centuries. Half-way serviceable street-cred
kitten-heels were clearly not an option.
We were late, of course. First, there was some technical stuff with the banner involving
staple guns and duct tape (the very same stuff the American government is advising its
people to use in the event of an attack by a weapon of mass destruction – how
appropriate and how reassuring) then protracted and totally unsuccessful negotiations
involving the use of public transport for (my) part of the delegation.
Surrender, it appeared, was the only option. I was walking. It was going to hurt.
With a backpack stuffed with bottles of water, locally-sourced samosas (we were travelling
from Stoke Newington, after all, where food miles are IMPORTANT), fresh fruit, a bog roll
and Pete's partner Judy's dire warnings about frequent toilet stops ringing in our ears,
we set off: the N16 Seven (if our two-year-old marching companion, who wisely opted for
the buggy, counts). Motley and crew – and I don't mean the band – sprang to
mind.
 |
Peter Kennard (left) carrying his anti-war banner |
Through the not-very-rolling hills of Dalston, via a faintly surprised Angel, and an undignified and very un-Ghandian spat over our 'we'd have to walk all the way from Stokey to the centre of London, and join one of the most awesome gatherings seen in Britain for centuries'mini march route and our collective navigating skills half-way down the Pentonville Road, the Stokey non-aligned faction – and what seemed like an even larger banner by now – finally collided with the rest of the millions in Gower Street. We’d encountered quizzical gawps along the way, but we’d also been greeted with smiles, waves, thumbs-up and cheers of support as we wound our unlikely way march-wards. The rest, as they say, is history.
That’s what I told my aching feet.
The Stoke Newington The Unitarian Church in Newington Green seems not the most
likely venue for the staging of Aristophanes' bawdy antiwar comedy, Lysistrata.
Nevertheless, on Monday 3 March actors from various parts of London came together to add
their voices to the chorus of protest against the build up to war.All over the world
readings and performances were taking place. From Sydney to Ramallah, from New York to
Belgrade theatre professionals found this unique method of joining together and making
their voice heard.
Lysistrata was written in the 5th century BC as a protest against the Peloponnesian Wars.
It conjures up the earliest and probably most imaginative anti-war demonstration ever
conceived. The women of Greece simply withdraw their good will from the marital bed until
the men stop the war. They reinforce their position by occupying the Acropolis. Of course
this 'strike' is not without its inherent difficulties but the women are victorious in the
end and peace is celebrated.
The play was adapted and directed by writer/director, Doug Holton and the company
included Zoe Simon as Lysistrata, Katherine Pageon, Natalie Wilcox, Penelope Dudley, Anna
Kauppila, Paul Lancaster and Lucien Morgan.
Doug Holton said, 'This was the most amazing experience. It was so rewarding to be able to
put our theatre skills to such a worthy cause. We hope to do more of this sort of thing as
the campaign develops. Our Government looks likely itself to be dragged along by the US
into a war that the British people don't want. If this happens the protests will not end
there.
Artists Against the War brings together creative people who are committed to finding
imaginative and creative ways of voicing their protest against the lunacy of this
war.’ Artists will join the rest of the community in fighting for sanity and peace. I
urge any anti-war arts practitioner to get involved. Call 07949 714 965 or visit
www.artistsagainstthewar.org.uk.