Music:

Steve Earle

The Proclaimers

Allison Moorer

David Knopfler and Karine Polwart

Comedy:

Mark Thomas

Stewart Lee

Kevin Eldon

Reprieve is Shakespeare’s Globe’s chosen Charity Partner for 2006 and is kick starting its tenure with a one-off music and comedy evening. Taking place in the unique and intimate setting of the Globe Theatre, the line-up promises to be diverse, multi-talented and – most importantly – out-spoken. This unique event promises to be engaging, entertaining and raise crucial funds for those who are prevented from speaking up for themselves.

About Reprieve:

Reprieve is a UK charity that fights for the lives of people facing the death penalty and other human rights violations, and was founded in 1999 by human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. Reprieve focuses on the cases of the innocent, people who are mentally ill or learning disabled, women, racial and ethnic minorities, and all those unjustly on death row and those detained out of reach of the law in the 'war on terror'. Clive provides legal representation to many of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay.

About the line up:

Music:

• Steve Earle is a musician whose contribution to the country music scene is huge. He has made an impressive contribution to the merging of progressive country to the wider rock audience. An accomplished author and playwright, his play Karla was a portrait of Karla Faye Tucker who was executed in Texas in 1998. A death penalty abolitionist, Steve has corresponded with many inmates on death row in the USA.
• The Proclaimers have been singing about political issues and more for over 18 years, have toured consistently, released seven albums and have a dedicated following.
• Allison Moorer’s international debut performance at the Academy Awards in 1999 set the stage for her, and she quickly became known for her dusky alto and probing and honest songwriting. On her newest album, Getting Somewhere, the songs soar and shine.
• David Knopfler co-founded Dire Straits and has followed his success with the band with nine solo CDs. Karine Polwart’s debut album scooped three prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2005. A writer of great depth; MOJO describes Karine as a ‘Stephen Poliakoff of songcraft’

Comedy:

• Mark Thomas is a well known comic, activist, human rights campaigner and writer who has made seven series of his own show for Channel 4, exposing hypocrisy in high places with a mixture of comedy and investigative journalism.
• Stewart Lee is a celebrated stand up comedian with a huge following both on the London circuit and at the Edinburgh Fringe. He has also written for radio, television and the stage, and directed and co-wrote Jerry Springer the Opera.
• Kevin Eldon has written substantially for television including the Emmy award winning Smack the Pony and has also had roles in Big Train, I’m Alan Partridge and Brass Eye.

The use of the theatre is kindly donated by Shakespeare’s Globe.

The benefit evening is supported by lastminute.com.

Listings Information

For more information, visit www.reprieve.org.uk.

For tickets call Shakespeare’s Globe’s box office: 020 7401 9919