Literally enclosed in a metal container situated on The Cut outside the Young Vic theatre, you are not just being performed to, you are part of the performance- sharing the space with the actors in such intensely close proximity that you forget it’s a play and become enthralled in their stories.
All the characters are refugees journeying in a lorry to Britain, but they are all from different countries – as the play unfolds, their stories and reasons for risking their lives to come to Britain become more distinct, from escaping the Taliban to wanting to be with family. Its a very powerful reminder that refugees are not just a homogeneous group
The sense of danger is palpable throughout the play, as the characters constantly fear their volatile agent, being found by police and worse – being sent back to where they have escaped from. Whilst all of the characters’ stories involve desperation and grief, perhaps the most tragic part is their hope of being treated well in England - which as we all know is sadly not always the case.
True to life, some of the characters disclose more about their past than others. Not to ruin the story for you, if you get to see the play - which I would highly recommend - but there is an incredible performance by a young girl who plays the part of a Somali refugee with a heartbreaking backstory. Her youth puts a different spin on the play, emphasising her defencelessness and again hitting home the range of people who become refugees.
So in conclusion, if you are up for a unforgettably powerful performance – or ’experience’ - which explores refugees’ issues, go and see the play for yourself. If you can’t see the play, you can always find out more about refugees and asylum and take action to end the destitution of refused asylum seekers on the Amnesty Refugee and Asylum page
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