Recent + upcoming events:

Comedy V Fascism ( free online panel discussion)

Wed 30 Sep 2026 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM BST

Booking link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2320343 

* Full list of speakers to be confirmed *

From PG Wodehouse’s ‘Black shorts’ to today

Can humour and satire counter fascism and the far Right?

A free online panel discussion event with Alexei Sayle and other comedians

In the 1930s P. G. Wodehouse parodied Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts through his comic creation of Roderick Spode, the leader of ‘The Saviours of Britain’ aka the ‘Black Shorts’. Wodehouse opposed fascists by making them look ridiculous.

Comedy legend Peter Cook however, once dismissed the impact of humour to achieve political change with an ironic tribute to, “All those German political satirists on the Berlin alternative cabaret circuit who did so much to stop fascism in the 1930s”.

The rise of the far right in modern Britain is no laughing matter, yet can comedy, irony, or satire be harnessed for political impact?

Join Alexei Sayle, along with fellow comics, exploring the role of today’s comedians and satirists on making a difference for communities to combat racism and fascism as we commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ‘Battle of Cable Street’.

The event is organised by the Modern Cockney Festival as part of the 90th anniversary commemoration of the ‘Battle of Cable Street’ organised by United East End.

BOOK YOUR TICKET via: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2320343

Voices of Cable Street: witnesses to the Battle (free online webinar)

Tue 29 Sep 2026 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM BST

Booking link: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2320320

What did the people who stood on Cable Street in 1936 really see, feel, and believe?

What were the voices – on both sides – of those who lived through one of the most defining confrontations in Cockney and working-class history?

What did the people who stood on Cable Street in 1936 really see, feel, and believe? What were the voices – on both sides – of those who lived through one of the most defining confrontations in Cockney and working-class history?

Thanks to a remarkable research project, we can hear the stories being told from both the Blackshirts and the anti-fascists who resisted them. Join Professor Pippa Catterall of the University of Westminster, who, in 1991 assembled a remarkable gathering from both sides of the battle to record a witness seminar – a rare moment where former opponents spoke openly about their experiences. Featuring readings from these testimonies, bringing their voices vividly back to life.

What motivated them to march or to resist? What was the tension, the danger, and the atmosphere on the streets like? The stories, flashes of humour, and moments of fear?

Join us as we revisit through a unique window how ordinary people found themselves living through history. Be a witness to their witness. Reserve your free place for this 45‑minute online event, including live Q&A

Organised by the Modern Cockney Festival in support of the Together on Cable Street 90th anniversary commemoration of the ‘Battle of Cable Street’ organised by United East End.

BOOK YOUR TICKET through this TicketTailor link: https://buytickets.at/moderncockneyfestival/2320320

Recent events for Modern Cockney Festival 2026:

The Modern Cockney Festival takes place every March, bursting with brilliant talks, fresh insights, cutting-edge research, live events, theatre, exhibitions – and the legendary National Pie ’n’ Mash Week. It’s a full-throttle celebration of everything Cockney: traditional roots, modern voices, and the global diaspora.

The 2026 programme is taking shape, and we warmly invite everyone with a passion for Cockney culture and heritage to book tickets by clicking the links below: