Celebrated songwriter and BBC 6 Music presenter, Tom Robinson will be sharing his thoughts on LGBT history with audiences at the National Festival of LGBT History, on Saturday 27 February 2016 at the People’s History Museum in Manchester.
Celebrating three centuries of LGBT history, the second annual LGBT Festival will showcase live performances, combined with talks from some of the most renowned campaigners and scholars, all shedding new light on hidden histories and untold stories aimed at adults and children of all ages.
Highlights from the programme of events taking place at the People’s History Museum include include Live Performances of Happily Ever After created by Action Transport Theatre and LGBT Youth North West, Happily Ever After is inspired by Dutch children’s book ‘King and King’ by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland. The show uses ATT’s trade-mark highly visual, wordless storytelling and comedy clowning to tell this funny and delightful twist on a traditional fairytale.
There is also a performance of Mister Stokes, Pagelight productions presentation of the story of Harry Stokes who was found drowned in a Manchester canal in 1859. When his body was examined, he was found to be biologically female, though he had lived as a man and married twice. This short piece explores the fascinating history of Mister Stokes and the women he called ‘wife’ as well as performances from the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus, one of the UK’s largest LGBT choirs with more than 80 members.
Tom Robinson’s LGBT anthem Glad To Be Gay was originally written for a Pride march and became a Top 20 hit in 1978. He’s co-written songs with Elton John, had hits with 2-4-6-8 Motorway and War Baby, made LGBT radio documentaries (on bisexuality, the Stonewall Riots, and queer music pioneers), won two Sony Academy Awards and currently hosts three shows a week on BBC 6 Music.
