Refugee!

Refugee! is a new political, devised theatre piece written by Aisha Zia and the Company and is a work in development. Weaving together urgent, important interviews, conversations and real-life testimonies from the performers, migrant, refugee and sanctuary seeking communities.

Set on an ancient burial ground, where the UK is now a crime scene, four characters in search of belonging. Under the rubble they find evidence of hope and humanity, and our own government’s complicity to war crimes.

It was first presented at The Key Theatre in Peterborough and Roundabout @ Summerhall as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Performed by: Elina Akhmetov, Adi Detemo, Sara Diab, Alaa Shehada

Writer Aisha Zia | Director Maisie Newman| Associate Director Neetu Singh | Composer & Sound Designer Ben Osborn & Jovana Backovic | Lighting Designer Gillian Tan| Set & Costume Designer Charlotte Henery | Choreographer Seke Chimutengwende | Voice Coach Gurkiran Kaur | Dramatherapist Wabriya King | Dramaturgical Consultant Grace Gummer | Stage Manager Jehan Rizqallah | Production Manager Carrie Croft | Associate Production Manager James Christensen | Costume Supervisor Delyth Evans | Artwork and Photography Kalpesh Lathigra | Creative Producers Nada Sabet & Marcus Berdaut | Communities Producer Anita Nayyar | Researcher Katie Dancey-Downs | Videographer Beatriz Sa | Marketing Rising Agency | PR SM Publicity

Produced by 62 Gladstone Street in association with Landmark Theatres and co-commissioned by Counterpoints Arts. Thanks to Arts Council England, Metal Peterborough, Refugee Week, Paines Plough, HighTide Theatre, the Peggy Ramsay Foundation, the Aziz Foundation and Necessity.

With thanks to all the community participants who took part in the development of the play in Peterborough and Bournemouth. With special thanks to Community partners supporting migrants & refugees in Peterborough; H.E.L.P, GLADCA and SOS.LT. And in Bournemouth; The Lighthouse Foundation.

Further development and presentation of the piece is planned for 2025.