Ian Townson – Brixton Faeries
Below is an outline of the topics covered in our interview with Ian Townson in 2013, recorded to assist with the construction of the Brixton Faeries company webpage.
Ian’s Unfinished Histories interview is now deposited with the British Library Sound Archive, V&A Theatre Collections and Sheffield University. Please see Viewing Interviews for further details. See Brixton Faeries page for details of archive materials.
Date:25.09.13
Duration: 00:26:22
Company: Brixton Faeries
Interviewer: Sara Scalzotto
Interview content includes: Mr Punch’s Nuclear Family – attack on patriarchy, a Gay Lib/feminist interpretation. Description of piece. All work agit-prop and developed collaboratively. Performances at Gay Community Centre, Young Communist league, Alternative theatre venues, a playground at a community event. Out of It – about patriarchy, fascism, moral fascism – ‘Festival of Light’. Description of piece. Did street festivals, ‘gay dragon’ at local Brixton festival. Inspired by Hot Peaches and BLOOLIPS. Minehead Revisited – about the Jeremy Thorpe trial. Began as a campaign outside Old Bailey in response to judges quote ‘ Jeremy Thorpe’s…fatal flaw ‘(ie his homosexuality). Background to piece. Campaigning theatre piece. Tomorrow’s Too Late – inspired by WH Smith’s banning of Gay News. Gents – celebrating life of homosexual men, especially that of cottaging – respectable gay men worried about radicals giving them a bad name. Description of Gents. General information about Brixton Faeries. Closed early 1980s, natural coming to a close.
(The sound quality poor as the interview was held in the Ovalhouse cafe when full!)