arts by Tim Lezard


Theatre and Music > If 2020 was a bad year for the arts, 2021 looks like it’s determined to make up for lost time. All listings are dependent on Covid,


of course, but London’s West End is hoping to return to normal (see https://www.london-theatreland.co. uk) and music wants to return us to the last century with UK tours planned by Lionel Richie, Bryan Adams, Crowded House, the Beach Boys, Suzi Quatro, New Order, Paul Weller, Erasure, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Van Morrison, Guns N’ Roses, Queen and Chris De Burgh.


as soon as possible. https://markthomasinfo.co.uk


, Spotlight > Film aims for justice for Khashoggi


You’ve read the book – Jonathan Rugman’s The Killing in the Consulate – now see the film – Bryan Fogel’s The Dissident. This documentary thriller


tells the untold story of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.


20 | theJournalist


He entered the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul to collect some paperwork in October 2018 and was never seen again. Khashoggi was a dissident


journalist who frequently used his Washington Post


columns to criticise the Saudi royal family. His death was described


by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as a ‘premeditated extrajudicial execution’.


However, no one has been


found guilty of his murder, prompting claims of an international cover-up at the highest levels of power.


The Dissident boasts a


wealth of footage that has never been seen before and gives unprecedented access to those closest to the story. It is intended to help bring


justice for Khashoggi while supporting those seeking to share truth through journalism. www.thedissident.com


Mark Steel Another Arts favourite is planning to hit the road with an optimistic show entitled Every Little Thing’s Gonna Be Alright. Let’s hope he’s correct. https://marksteelinfo.com


Film > Minamata Johnny Depp ‘(bottom left) stars as war photographer Eugene Smith, who travels back to Japan where he documents the devastating effect of mercury poisoning in coastal communities. On release from February. https://tinyurl.com/yxgrf7r8


Comedy > Siobhan Phillips – Live and Unhinged Described as ‘the love child of Peter Kay and Victoria Wood’, Siobhan Phillips performs songs covering subjects from becoming a first-time mum at 40, tantrum-throwing toddlers and the frustrations of mother-daughter relationships. www.siobhanphillips.co.uk/gigs


Mark Thomas – 50 Things About Us Arts favourite Mark Thomas is hoping to be back with a new show, 50 Things About Us, combining his trademark mix of storytelling, stand-up and mischief to examine how we have come to inhabit the divided wasteland that is the UK. He also has a book along the same lines. Dates and venues will be confirmed


Books > The War Against the BBC by Patrick Barnwise and Peter York The BBC is in peril as never before, facing increasing competition, attacks from political opponents and deep funding cuts. This book is a powerful wake-up call that if the BBC is destroyed it will be almost impossible to rebuild. https://tinyurl.com/y2h79yhf


Rebel Women Between The Wars by Sarah Lonsdale This tome traces the struggles, passions and achievements of fearlessly determined women, including journalists Sheila Grant Duff, Una Marson, Alison Settle and Edith Shackleton. https://tinyurl.com/wqzphdr


Scoop – a Life In Fleet Street by Terry Pattinson Former Daily Mirror industrial editor Terry Pattinson reflects on his career, telling the inside story of many big news events and celebrity encounters. There’s even a chapter on fake news. He is selling signed copies for £15 to raise money for food banks and homeless charity Slough Homeless Our Concern. Email him at terrywpattinson@gmail.com or buy an unsigned copy from Amazon. https://tinyurl.com/yyxwj529


Asylum For Sale edited by Siobhan McGurk and Adrienne Pine Journalists are among the contributors to this exploration of


profit and protest in the migration industry, challenging readers to move beyond the questions of legal, moral and humanitarian obligations that dominate national debate. https://tinyurl.com/y6ldqwq8


Imagining Orwell in Three Continents by Julio Etchart This beautiful photographic travelogue explores NUJ member George Orwell’s journey of discovery from his time as an imperial policeman in Burma to his fight against fascism. Excerpts of his writings and journals accompany the stunning images. https://tinyurl.com/yyanahmh


The Free Speech Wars edited by Charlotte Lydia Riley Who gets to exercise free speech? Focusing on universities and the internet, this provocative book encourages readers to be suspicious of the way the topic is framed in the media. https://tinyurl.com/y5m7aoos


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