ED WAUGH introduces a special event to commemorate the centenary of the 1926 General Strike
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He should have his name written all over it
KADEEM SIMMONDS argues the case for casting Idris Elba as the next James Bond and, for free, advises the franchise's producers how to go about it
Amazing: Idris Elba in The Wire
PAUL DONOVAN recommends an energetic adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel, that emphasises how psychiatry is a tool in the hands of a racist agenda
IAN SINCLAIR draws our attention to a film, available for everyone to use, to stimulate community discussion and active engagement in the climate emergency
SIMON PARSONS recommends an outstanding revival of the musical based on Argentinian LGBT activist Manuel Puig’s groundbreaking novel
JAMES WALSH previews the smorgasbord of talent and hilarity on show at the Brighton Fringe
WHAT springs to mind when you think of James Bond? Spy. 007. Aston Martin. Gadgets. Martini. Smart. Sophisticated. Suave. Tuxedo. I could go on. But at no point does “white” enter my brain.
So the continuing debate as to why Idris Elba cannot play a fictional character because of the colour of his skin seems senseless.
I first encountered Elba’s acting ability on the BBC’s detective show Luther. As DCI John Luther, he was brilliant — angry, savvy, athletic, vulnerable and with a wide emotional range that came across as authentic — everything you'd want out of a lead character.
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RON JACOBS recommends a book that charts the disparate circumstances that defined the lives of two prominent black Afro-Americans — one a communist, the other an anti-communist
We are experiencing a wave of organised, often deadly violence targeting migrants from other parts of Africa — but the poorest South Africans reject this hatred, staying true to the spirit of Ubuntu and Pan-African unity, reports NIGEL BRANKEN
