Gilmour, Pussy Riot join Staging a Revolution: I’m with the Banned in London

Staging a Revolution: I’m with the Banned is the flagship event in Belarus Free Theatre’s tenth anniversary celebrations, bringing together a unique line-up of musicians and performers to stand up for artistic freedom of expression and against injustice. Belarus is the last dictatorship in Europe, and the Belarusian people are not free.

I’m with the Banned will unite artists who live in political freedom with banned bands from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. These artists have all endured extensive intimidation campaigns; they have been systematically persecuted for speaking out in defence of freedom – now they take centre stage.

Featuring a special tenth anniversary logo designed by the renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, the line-up is David Gilmour, Pussy Riot, Boombox, Brutto, Kenwyn House, DJ Laurel and DJ Andy Smith. Special guests Kim Cattrall, Neil Tennant, Jeremy Irons, Viktoria Modesta and Juliet Stevenson will perform extracts of plays by these provocative theatre-makers. http://www.koko.uk.com/listings/staging-revolution-im-banned-18-10-2015

The Space will be capturing the event for people who can’t make it in person: http://www.thespace.org/

Also launching on Sunday 18 October, On Freedom, a brand new anthology of 34 powerful polemics from supporters of Belarus Free Theatre, published by Oberon Books.

Featuring cover artwork by Ai Weiwei, On Freedom is a timely manifesto on what freedom looks like today from the UK to Belarus featuring short essays from Michael Sheen, Shami Chakrabati, Michael Attenborough, Vivienne Westwood, Clive Stafford Smith, Eric Fischl, David Lan, Peter Bazalgette, and with a foreword authored by BFT patron Sir Tom Stoppard.