Simon Hughes to speak at Shakespeare's Globe

Hughes will reflect upon the immense theatrical changes in North Southwark and Bermondsey during his twenty years as the constituency's MP.

Just over 25 years ago, old Southwark was amalgamated with the old boroughs of Bermondsey and Camberwell to make up a big new London borough. By this simple act, the diversity of the borough hugely increased, not least by bringing many people from the Caribbean inside Southwark's boundaries. More recently, we have reportedly become the largest African community in London. Understanding our history and our present, alongside one of the main thoroughfares of the world, is to understand that all human life is here. Like Shakespeare's Cleopatra, Southwark has an infinite variety.

Simon Hughes, after twenty years as local Member of Parliament – and only weeks away from the year in which he could become mayor of London – reflects and challenges and celebrates the borough he represents and which he has adopted as his home.

• The 2003 Theo Crosby Lecture: Wednesday 19 November, 7m
• Tickets: £5 (£4 GlobeLink/FoSG/conc) £2 student. Bookings: 020 7902 1438
• Venue: the Nancy W. Knowles Lecture Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe