The idea
It's a unique play telling the story of Altab Ali, a local London Bengali garment factory worker on his way home from work, his murder by three teenagers on the night of the local elections when 41 right-wing National front candidates were standing, the impact on the people who knew him e.g. his mother in Bangladesh and his best friend in London and the thousands of people in the local community who rose up and marched with coffin to 10 Downing Street.
2018 is 40th Anniversary of Altab Ali's murder, a scene from the play will be performed FREE in Altab Ali Park, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, on the 4th May 2018 as part of the annual commeration events giving everyone a taste of the full lenght version to be performed in the evening at Rich Mix Cultural Arts Centre, the same eveing.
This is new writing by a local British Bengali: Julie Begum.
More information and tickets to the evening performance available here: www.richmix.org.uk/events/theatre/altab-ali-story
What we'll deliver
- To see a live performance from scene from the play The Altab Ali Story
- To see professional actors and muscians perform in English and/or Bengali
- Seating area on the grass and raised steps facing the Shahid Minar
Why it's a great idea
You may pass Altab Ali Park every day without realising why it's called Altab Ali park, well here's an opportunity to find out why.
This new play will mark the 40th anniversary of murder of Altab Ali who this park is named after and give people an opportunity now to know and remember the events that lead to this incident.
Altab Ali was 25 year old London Bengali garment factory worker killed on his way home from work by 3 teenagers in a racially motivated murder on the night of the local elections.
His murder was a turning point for the local people who said enough was enough and march with his coffin with 7,000 to protest at 10 Downing Street.
This play The Altab Ali Story captures the lives of this young man, his best friend living in Britain and his mother in Bangladesh in the days leading up to the tragic event and how his death inspired a social justice movement that leaves the audience elated.
Steps to get it done
- To bringing 4 multi-disciplinary professional actors & musicians to perform in English & Bengali a public park
- To give people in Altab Ali Park to an opportunity to engage with local history & heritage of Altab Ali Park
- To give people an opportunity to share a commemorative event marking Altab Ali's murder 40 years ago
- To encourage people to see new local writing performed at the Richmix Cultural Arts Centre
- To engage with The Men's Cabin, in Poplar to celebrate the arts and cultural heritage of the local area
- To use the arts in dramatic story telling to bring to life an incident that took place in the local area
- To show and tell a lesser known story about the local area to diverse audiences
- To upload a film of the The Altab Ali Story on youtube to reach wider audiences
- To perform The Altab Ali Story in a first class venue the Richmix Cultural Arts Centre
- To give people an opportunity to support the arts in their local area
Altab Ali Day is an unique event held in Altab Ali Park every year and the play The Altab Ali Story is contributing to the commemorative events taking place on this day on 4th May 2018 in London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
