03 December 2018
Newsdesk
Performed by a mixed ensemble, including those who have recently sought refuge in the UK, Welcome to the UK has its world premiere at The Bunker this January. Brought to life by Borderline, a unique theatre ensemble created by PSYCHEdelight, Welcome to the UK will be presented alongside the company’s first production Borderline.
With live music, horror and candy floss, Welcome to the UK tackles the migrant experience using satire to highlight the current hostile environment from the insane processes asylum seekers undergo when they arrive in this country, to how Brexit has affected the lives of European and British citizens alike. Directed by Sophie NL Besse, this powerful devised piece is full of visual poetry and physical comedy in a fantastical staging which borrows many different theatrical styles, from musical theatre to pantomime. They may have thought the journey was over once they left the Calais Jungle - they thought wrong.
Besse comments, I didn’t know about the British government’s hostile policies to asylum seekers or the 28 days deadline. I discovered all this in the past three years while supporting my cast through, what has often been, absolute hell. This show is their stories, their voices, their talent and their sense of humour. It’s also an ode to the UK we love: a satirical play with a Sudanese, Italian, Syrian, Gambian, Iranian, Afghani, Zimbabwe, Armenian, Iraqi and French touch!
Featuring a cast from three different continents, Welcome to the UK has been created by a community determined to change the negative narrative often associated with refugees. It seeks to raise awareness of the obstacles facing asylum seekers.
For Welcome to the UK, Borderline worked alongside the ‘Women for Refugee Women’ drama group resulting in several members joining the cast. Supporting refugee and asylum women performers, ‘Women for Refugee Women’ raise awareness around the trafficking of women to the UK. PSYCHEdelight operate regular Together Workshops at Theatre Delicatessen for people from all backgrounds and cultures to meet and learn drama skills.
The Borderline company will also perform Borderline twice a week to complement their new production. Borderline, a satire of the Calais Jungle, premiered in November 2016 at the Cockpit Theatre as part of the Voila! Festival and has toured across the UK and internationally.
The Bunker, 53A Southwark Street London SE1 1RU
Tickets are priced at £16 (£12 concessions).
Ten £10 tickets are available at each performance for under 30s. Tickets are available from https://www.bunkertheatre.com/ and 0207 234 0486.
The Bunker is located on Southwark Street. The nearest underground stations are London Bridge (on the Jubilee and Northern lines – Borough High Street exit), Borough (on the Northern line) and Southwark (on the Jubilee line). The nearest rail station is London Bridge.
@PSYCHE_delight @BunkerTheatreUK, #BorderlineBunker /BunkerTheatreUK @BorderlinePlay
@Borderline_Play
Ages 13+
Welcome to the UK
Wednesday 23rd January - Saturday 16th February 2019
60 minutes plus Q&A
Director
Assistant director
Music and songs
Movement director
Set design
Costume design
Producer
Assistant Producer
Photography
Digital marketing and social media Roberto Landi
Cast
Abdul Aziz Al-Hasan Tamara Astor
Yasmeen Ghrawi
Baraa Halabieh
Mohand Hasb Alrsol Badr Enayatullah Jalalzai Debby Kareem
Rob Landi Margaret Muyeva
Borderline
Sonia Mohamadi Peter Pearson
Delia Remy
Naqeeb Saide Abdulrahman Salama Nour – Ani Sisserian Reuben Williams Wasig Zaid
Majid Zairei
Tuesday 29th January - Saturday 16th February 2019 Saturday matinees, 3pm
Tuesday 29th January, 7.30pm
Tuesday 5th February, 7:30pm
Tuesday 12th February, 7:30pm
Sophie NL Besse Petra Hjortsberg
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.30pm (except 29th January, 12th February) Tuesday matinees, 3pm (except 22nd January)
