Rank & File Theatre in partnership with Arts Council England, Reading City of Sanctuary and UEL OLIve, and Reading Refugee Support Group premiered a six-part series of short films documenting the lives of refugees and asylum seekers.
We are not Party to the Theft by Elizabeth Achola sees a group of freedom fights take on the oppressing military. Although there was a clear leader, each message of unity is always said in unison, and in particular: “We refuse this sham election. We are not be party to the theft.”. The theme of unity against all odds is a powerful statement, helping the listeners understand that although each podcast details a different aspect of each personal story, their unity in theatre is what brings them together.
“We are not party to the theft” is based on Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognises that mass demonstrations have been the way people demand social change.
With the fragility of human rights across the globe, people are rising up to demand for their rights and freedoms. Now, I love seeing women take up seats at the political table alongside men. My role as the “Rascal Leader” in this piece highlights the role and importance of women and our voices in championing and advocating for social change.”
22 Jul 2021
Episode 5: Margins of innocence
The Margins of Innocence is a reflection on how the innocent can be taken advantage of by systematic governmental entrenched rasicm built up over centuries, that effect even British born children who have known no other country. Innocence can be stripped at a very early age, we may find ourselves on the margins without even realising we are on the margins. This is part 1 of number of pieces that will be released by Rank & File in the coming year.
a portrayal of the neverending fight to truly be oneself as an asylum seeker, a “perpetual lockdown”. Thabo said on the piece: “This piece was written because one can, in this country, write like this. Most of us are from countries that are dictatorships, and if we wrote, performed and published like this, we would for sure be abducted and killed for speaking out. That’s why I wrote this”.
21 Jul 2021
Episode 4: My Story
Taking a different angle of the refugee experience, Mary Juan Perino’s My Story shows her life before she came to the UK, with fond tales of climbing up trees to peer into the classroom, never stopping the fight to access education.
This story is a true story that happened in Africa in the 1960’s in Juba, a town in South Sudan. A beautiful town, with lovely people. Although war broke out in the 60’s, it only affected the men, as women and children were not targeted, in today’s South Sudan everyone is targeted in war, even unborn children. Many of the elderly who are part of this story were strong people, but now have either died or got scattered all over the world. So, stories like this are not written or told anymore.
20 Jul 2021
Episode 3: My Zimbabwe
Caleb Gomes My Great Zimbabwe, tells a not so pleasant story of his life before coming to the UK, with violence repression of free speech over taking his life.
My Great Zimbabwe is a throwback to my time in Zimbabwe. Sadly, it also represents the current life realities of those I have left behind.
19 Jul 2021
Episode 2: Hostile Environment
Oliver Mbolokele’s Hostile Environment, is a powerful and direct message to the Home Office. Staged in a home office interview, Oliver is repeatedly asked questions along the lines of “Who are you?” and “What is your status?”, to which he replies: “My status is love. My status is loyalty. My status is my time.”. His true response to the never-ending Home Office questions is one that stays with the audience, who are the only ones in this short monologue that truly see him as he is – an individual with thoughts and feelings that go beyond a name on a piece of paper.
17 Jul 2021
Episode 1: Violent bureaucracy
‘When a brown envelope drops through the letter-box, solidarity is everything.’
Merry Cross
This piece is written with first-hand experience of the treatment of people who claim benefits. It focuses on the terror experienced by disabled people when the brown envelope drops through the letterbox, and the strength that comes from having peer support.
14 Jul 2021
Episode 0: An introduction
Fragments was a 6 months theatre and playwriting project which took place with asylum seekers and survivors of domestic abuse online and over lockdown between January and June 2021. Here Jude Haste discusses the importance of theatre as a vehicle to promote social change, and tell untold stories that put personal experiences before stereotype. Ira Putilova is a podcast and documentary maker and non binary Russian refugee.
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