WRITING ON THE WALL FESTIVAL: Tony Benn and Roy Bailey, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

May 20 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

Tony Benn and Roy Bailey - in conversation at the Writing on the Wall festival _320

AS WE took our seats in the Phil and noticed a few people dotted around the place reading the Socialist Worker while they waited for the show to start, we knew we were in for a rousing evening.

One of the highlights of this year’s Writing on the Wall festival saw Leftist icon and former MP Tony Benn and long-time friend Roy Bailey bring their show about the history of political dissent to the city – and they knew it would strike a chord.

Folk singer Bailey, who once returned an MBE in protest at the situation in Palestine, is a softer figure than Benn, with a friendly line in conversa- tional comedy and token folk braces and beard, but still uses his lyrics to strong and often poignant effect.

Each took turns at the microphone while the other relaxed in his own armchair – in Benn’s case, with pipe and what appeared to be an insulated mug of his omnipresent tea, causing chatter among the audience by heartily flouting any smoking ban that may have applied to performers.

Benn, who has called Liverpool "the most political city in the world", knew he was preaching to the convert- ed last night and clearly en- joyed himself the more for it.

With the house lights still up throughout the show, he read short statements from such historical figures as Thomas More (comparing his vision of Utopia to the original idea behind the NHS), Oscar Wilde, and James Keir Hardie, one of the founders of the Labour party.

In between, Bailey thought on his feet to sing the most appropriate folk song relevant to the particular time or figure in history – both spurred on by not really knowing beforehand what the other would read or sing.

As the two made their way to the stage for the second half from the bar where they had been signing books, they walked with arms warmly around each other, demonstrating the genuine nature of their 30-year friendship.

The "reunion of faded reds", as the audience was described by Writing on the Wall organisers before the show, wasted no time in giving a practically unanimous standing ovation.