News

Moazzam Begg’s ‘confessions’ tell the story of an Islamophobic age

Moazzam Begg knows what it’s like to exist under the War on Terror. In new documentary The Confession he recounts a life that can inspire resistance to racism and repression, writes Talat Ahmed

Bertolt Brecht is back—and still as relevant 60 years after his death

The great radical playwright Bertolt Brecht died 60 years ago this week. Tomáš Tengely-Evans looks at the legacy of his plays and politics

The Paris Commune brought to life

This graphic novel tells the real-life story of revolutionary and anarchist Louise Michel.

66 Days—a fine lesson in the brutality of the British state

Several attempts have been made to dramatise Bobby Sands’ fatal hunger strike—but 66 Days succeeds where others have failed, says?Sarah Bates

Don’t miss chance to see Barry Lyndon in cinemas

Stanley Kubrick’s film Barry Lyndon is often described as an underrated classic.

From Shakespeare to satire at packed Edinburgh Festival

Theatre critic Mark Brown offers some tips for the forthcoming Edinburgh Festival—which includes Thomas Ostermeier’s production of Richard III

Touching tales amid cliche of The People’s History of Pop

Stories of anti-racist reggae and escapism at Wigan Pier survive BBC4’s stale series to show glimpses of music’s transformative power.

Exodus is a unique record of the resilience of refugees

The BBC’s exploration of the refugee crisis in Europe exposes the impact of racist immigration controls on desperate people, writes Margaret Woods

A spirited defence of alcohol against middle class panic

The Tate’s Art and Alcohol exhibition shows how working class drinking has been stigmatised—to avoid any deeper questions

How did Malcolm X think we could defeat racism?

Antony Hamilton’s new book A Rebel’s Guide to Malcolm X holds vital lessons for all revolutionaries, Nadia Sayed and Naima Omar told Alistair Farrow

Michael Moore is taking aim through rose-tinted glasses

US radical director Michael Moore’s film Where to Invade Next? makes some serious points, but badly idealises European society, writes Simon Shaw

Versus—The life and films of Ken Loach

Director Louise Osmond‘s look at the life of radical film maker Ken Loach comes straight from the set of his latest feature I, Daniel Blake, about life on benefits.

Genius of the modern world - Marx’s ideas shine through the sneers

Marx, Genius of the modern world BBC Four, Thursday 16 June, 9pm

Beyond Caring - ‘To the boss, a cleaner is no more than a sturdy broom’

Actor Janet Etuk and director Alexander Zeldin spoke to Alistair Farrow about Beyond Caring, a new play about life on zero hour contracts.

Biting 19th century satire of corruption The Government Inspector has still got teeth

Disabled actors bring to life a timely new production of Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol’s play The Government Inspector

Children’s books—an infantile disorder?

This exhibition is a rare opportunity to see children’s books from 1920s and 1930s Russia.

Everybody Wants Some!! is a coming of age drama that sidesteps the genre’s pitfalls

A film about a college baseball team would normally be painful watching, but Everybody Wants Some!! is a funny ode to growing up, writes Andriana Sotiris