Fair Play Cabaret
With the backing of Equity, a cultural campaign is being launched which is centred around an ongoing series of events across the country. They are attempts, both onstage and offstage, to address aspects of social and cultural changes which have been so detrimental to working people during recent decades. These include attacks on unions, public services and public spaces, low wages, insecure work and poverty.
Shows and events will feature different types of performance, including comedy, music, spoken word and theatre. Generally, the shows will feature four or five performers and will last for two hours. Everyone associated with these events, including performers, must be a union member and provide photos of their union cards for publicity purposes.
This is a wide-ranging strategy in which Equity will initially take the lead, organising cross-union support and collaboration; the first event is at the GFTU headquarters where union activists receive education and training.
Shows will take place in venues which either belong to the labour movement or are, at least, public venues with a unionised workforce. Shows will operate at different scales, from large halls to small libraries. There will always be reduced concessionary admission rates for people who are unwaged.
We intend to book acts whose work best represents our values, providing entertainment which has a political and social purpose.
