Peake and Eccleston to support Housmans and Comma's protest readings

Housmans Bookshop and Comma Press are to host two online events with actors Christopher Eccleston and Maxine Peake, reading from "protest-inspired" stories

The stories are published in Comma’s History-into-Fiction series, Protest and Resist, and ask authors to rewrite key moments in British protest history alongside historians.

The two events will take place on consecutive dates, with Eccleston reading on 9th February 2021 and Peake on the following day. Both readings will be followed by conversations between the books’ authors and historians.

Both actors have collaborated with Comma in the past. Peake was named one of the press' inaugaral patrons and, alongside Eccleston, lent her voice to its refugee campaign. 

Housmans has a history of supporting radical publishing. Cristina Ríos, co-manager of the bookshop, said: “We are only too happy to partner with Comma Press to promote Resist and Protest, two books that celebrate people power and the UK's tradition and history of protest and resistance. At a time of political disarray—government corruption and incompetence in the UK, the Covid pandemic, Brexit and a looming economic crisis—the stories and events depicted in Protest and Resist are powerful reminders of the fact we can hold the powers-that-be to account, and [that] we can create a better life for all.

“We are honoured that talented British actors such as Maxine and Christopher should offer their time to raise awareness of Housmans' profile as radical booksellers, and the importance of independent bookshops in general.”

Ra Page, publisher at Comma Press, said: "2020 has been the year to resist. Books are often the frontline of any fight back: they allow us to read beyond the headlines. At the front-line of that fight back is independent, radical bookshops, who don't just prioritise what the market does—shops like Housmans.

"This event is a reflection of our gratitude to them, and we’re very excited to be working again with Maxine and Christopher to bring the retellings of British protest history published in Protest and Resist to life."

Tickets will be available from the Housmans website for £3 (£1 concession), while a ticket-plus-book option is also available.