3rdInternational Deptford Heritage festival 1-28 February 2019
Liberty by Ray Barron-Woolford: Press Release.
The Deptford Heritage Festival 1-28 February 2019
Festival will celebrate life of Deptford residents Christopher Marlowe , Robert Browning , Lord Nelson , Olaudan Equiano, Kath Duncan, The MacMillan Sisters , and bring together Schools . Community Groups, Churches, Musicians, local talented residents and Artists in Londons biggest Heritage Festival in the centre of the global LGBTQ history Month , that celebrates and remembers its areas cultural diversity, Inspired people who have shaped its and the Nations history at a time in which Gentrification for many Londoners is seeing their Heritage and Identity erased. with many events across 28 days as well as staging for the first time #Liberty 14-28 February 2019 with best of British Actor and production talent ,about Deptford Civil rights activist in the year we celebrate 100 years of Women, we dont again forget Kath Duncan who established the LGBTQ Civil Rights movement in 1930s Britain via the streets of Deptford , took on the power of King, Parliament and the entire legal system to lay the ground work for The National Council Civil Liberties that we call today LIBERTY.
In the year when we celebrate 100 years of women’s activism, it seems only just that the world also has time to focus on and hail the lives of working-class heroes. It is regrettable that although we teach our children about our kings, Queens and tyrants, we erase from history those who have fought for and won the freedoms we all enjoy today. One such woman is Kath Duncan, probably the most important Scottish and UK civil rights activist of the past 100 years. Until this book and play, LIBERTY, Duncan has been left in the shadows because she was raised by a single widowed mum, was poor and totally un-politically correct. When she died in 1954, she was a Communist; a member of a party feared and loathed by the elite in 50’s Britain. However, her friends included Clementine and Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, who wanted her to be in the Labour government if he had won in 1945. Sadly, ill health stopped her standing as a Labour MP, although in 1931 she was the first woman to stand for parliament as a Communist candidate, in Greenwich in South East London, and indeed, one of the first women to stand for parliamentary office at all.
Liberty, by activist, broadcaster and writer, Ray Barron Woolford who also has a biography of Kath Duncan, The Last Queen of Scotland, about to be published and which goes into film production shortly with Inside Film, after 4 years research, tells the extraordinary story of Kath Duncan in 1930s Britain. Born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland on 4th July 1888, she befriended Clementine Churchill and became Winston Churchill’s agent in the Dundee by-election of 1917, securing a staggering 87% of the vote for him. This seat, without her further help, he lost just 5 years later. Duncan arrived in Hackney in 1924 to become a member of the Pankhurst’s suffragette team of women activists that founded the British Communist party and in 1926 Duncan was a key member on the General Strike Committee, insuring NO trams or buses moved. She would later be an integral member of the Communist group who lead the protest to stop Mosely’s black shirts from marching down Cable Street.
In 1930, Kath and her husband, Sandy, established a radical Household in Deptford that was recorded in police notes as a “ house of revolutionaries and deviants” due to the fact the house became the first known LGBTQ centre and was the haunt of every radical political activist of the age.
During the 30s, Kath led protests against the rise of fascism ; utility companies ripping off the poor; gentrification; poverty ; the hunger marches ; the Spanish Civil War; treatment of Indian workers seeking the right to establish a Union; the Indo-China War and welfare reform.
No other woman in the past 100 years has been as much involved or successful , or so active at leadership level, across so many huge campaigns throughout her short life. Her being jailed twice, led to the ground work and establishment of The National Council Of Civil Liberties we call LIBERTY today.
#Liberty the play, from the book that has been getting rave reviews, it will be staged with big name cast as part of the third Deptford International Festival in February 2019, commemorating LGBTQ history month, and will be staged at the Deptford Zion Baptist Hall in Deptford, a building Duncan probably knew well . This heritage setting takes the audience back to the period and tells the important, but little known, story of how the UK LGBTQ and Civil Rights movement was established in 1930s Britain, it does seem extrodinary how few brits are aware how OUR civil rights movement was fought and Won , but will no probably more about USA and India than our own.
The Red Blouse Theatre Company which was founded by workers in 1930s Britain to take theatre to the streets and working clubs across the UK , as a way of informing the poor about what was going on as well as mobilising them to get active in the wider Labour movement ,has been reformed to stage this amazing production. It is hoped after the popularity of period drams and commercial success of Hamiltonand Les Miserables, Kath Duncan’s story will follow in their footsteps .After all, many view the politics of today as being not much different from the 1930s , so the timing could not be better and it screams out a UK tour, longer London run and must event for every Pride event in 2019-2020 .
A new music score has been written with great songs: a reflective duet between Kath and Sandy, “Carry the Flag “; a tango inspired love song, “Forbidden Love “;to be released as a Single Valentines Day.. a gay anthem of our times between the two key homosexual characters, whose arrest led the decision for Kath to take on King , Parliament and entire legal system through the courts to win the civil rights we ALL enjoy today. In addition, the song “ She’s Trouble “ is a barbershop style song set within the Governor’s office in Holloway Prison, after thousands marched on the prison demanding Duncan’s release and Parliament was forced, thanks to Labour leader, George Lansbury, to debate Kath Duncan’s arrest and the civil rights movement for the first time in the House of Commons.
Liberty , ( Full Profile www.KathDuncan.Com) Although a period drama, this play and production aims to be like no other and will include film, music and drama that will take its audience back to the 1930s. An immersive piece, with the audience dressed in 1930’s clothes, with no raised stage, will make those attending feel like members of the cast.
The Production will be Directed by the highly acclaimed American Director and Film Maker Jessica Rose McVay who has worked at the UK finest Theatres, as well as Internationally and as Assistant Director on New Yorks Broadway
Emily Carding who will play Kath Duncan ,has established herself as the multi award winning must go see , Actors Actor winning rave reviews for her talent from the Daily Telegraph to The Socialist Worker
Alex Reid who will play the Communist leader and Invergordon Mutineer Fred Copeman may be better known to his substantial followers as a winner of Celebrity Big Brother, but he is a fine actor having secure roles from Holly Oaks to the film Killer Bitch .
Amy Whitrod Brown Will be taking on the little played Labour Party Leader George Lansbury
Ana Luiza Ulsig Will play Sandy Duncan the husband of Kath and the Prison Governor. Ana has been a big star in Brazil and wanted to be in this production after the first Brazilian Women leader was removed in a coup without any evidence and with a Facist President set to Win in fresh elections, any believes this play is a play off OUR times.
Rona Topaz Will be this productions Musical Director and will also play Mama in the cast.
James Ruston and Giorgio Borghes are both Deptford based Actors and Singers who will play the very Gay Characters whose 5 jail terms a total 12 years jail period , for no other reason than looking Gay in 1930s Britain, that lead two the events that are portrayed in this production
Kath Duncan has a new Twitter account for people wanting to keep informed about this stage and film production and to keep up to date on issues surrounding working class women’s history :- @KathDuncan5 @blouseRed @Deptford
The Book of the Play Liberty can be bought on Amazon , Kindle etc.
Ray Barron-Woolfords Biography of Kath Duncan The Last Queen Of Scotland will be published by Austin MacCauley New York in 2019 whilst the film of the same name goes into production next month with www.InsideFilm.Org
Full details and advance tickets for this sell-out production, officially performed as a Charity Gala on Valentine’s day 14 February 2019 for a limited 2 week run, can be purchased for £15 , the Celebrity Gala night Opening Valentines Day 14 February 2019 tickets for this performance only are £25 on the website www.KathDuncan.com
Profits from this Community Festival will Fund School Holiday Clubs in Deptford feeding and keeping kids fed and save during the School Holidays. the past 4 years these projects have had NO State or Council funding and are dependent for survival on local community fund raising.
Profits from this Community Festival will Fund School Holiday Clubs in Deptford feeding and keeping kids fed and save during the School Holidays. the past 4 years these projects have had NO State or Council funding and are dependent for survival on local community fund raising.
This is the direct link to buy your tickets for #Liberty and the Deptford Heritage Festival Festival 1-28 February 2019 and festival 1-28 February 2019
TICKETSOURCE.CO.UK
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Media enquiries text; 07871187162
Festival Co-Ordinator
Ray Barron-Woolford