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Shireen Farkhoy, Zoe Katsilerou, Fernanda Mandagará, Rosie MacPherson & Tafadzwa Muchenje
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Writer: Rosie MacPherson
Director: Hannah Butterfield
Producer: John Tomlinson
Designer: Hannah Sibai
Lighting Designer & Technical Manager: Charlotte Woods
Sound Designer: R L Wilson
Trailer: Ed Sunman
Artwork: Freckled.Agency
Photographers: Ant Robling and Shaun Conway
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Teresa Brayshaw, Gaël Le Cornec, Shireen Farkhoy, Zoe Katsilerou, Fernanda Mandagará & Tafadzwa Muchenje
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Theatre in the Mill, Bradford, Camden People’s Theatre and Cast, Doncaster.
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Funded by Arts Council England
Special Thanks to Refugee Council
Made in partnership with City of Sanctuary
When every citizen is ordered to return to their place of birth, ‘Where We Began’ examines where we could end up.
The UK’s first Theatre Company of Sanctuary, Stand and Be Counted present a wild and vivid vision of the future, combining storytelling, movement and live music. Five performers from across the globe challenge existing notions of ‘home’ in this multilingual celebration of personal identity.
Commissioned by Camden People's Theatre, Cast and Theatre in the Mill and supported by Arts Council England.
Where We Began is a winner of the Bridging the Gap scheme led by Arc Stockton and toured nationally in 2018.
★★★★
"A timely and compelling look at the hostile immigration environment by a talented, charismatic company" "A Handmaid’s Tale for immigration, Where We Began is an urgent, angry examination of the idea of home."
— THE STAGE
Where We Began | Trailer
"Shines a spotlight on a difficult subject without forgetting to be compelling, entertaining and humane." "an eerily credible vision of the future... skilfully balancing humour and pathos."
— BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
Where We Began | Teaser
★★★★
“Traumatic and cathartic" "A considered attempt to redress the wrongs that are going on right now”
REVIEWS HUB★★★★
“The events that transpire feel like an organic development of what’s happening globally”
MY THEATRE MATESMAKING OFThe Thought Process Behind Where We Began
A crucial part of our company’s remit is to platform the people who have endured the UK’s labyrinthine immigration system.
Where We Began is led by five international performers, each with their own personal relationship to the themes explored. At times it’s highly autobiographical.
Where We Began is as much about the issues it explores as it is a device to put you, the audience, in the shoes of those experiencing the immigration system. It’s not always straightforward. In fact at times it is deliberately misleading and confusing.
The piece is a surreal exploration of home and identity and the impossibility of fitting neatly into a box created for you by bureaucracy. The themes are global but uniquely personal to all of us and our hope is that audiences on every stop of our tour will find themselves reflected through the madness!
The process of making the show has thrown up more twists and turns than I think any of us had expected! The fictional future world we were creating often had far more in common with reality than we predicted.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Making Of | Where We Began
Where We Began | In Rehearsal
Press
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE PODCAST: In conversation with Tafadzwa Muchenje (Performer) & Rosie MacPherson (Writer)
BIG ISSUE BLOG: Rosie MacPherson
REVIEWS HUB FEATURE: Tafadzwa Muchenje
THAT'S YORK TV: Rosie MacPherson and Tafadzwa Muchenje
BBC YORK RADIO: Tafadzwa Muchenje and John Tomlinson (Producer)
BBC RADIO MERSEYSIDE (56:00) Rosie MacPherson and Tafadzwa Muchenje
NATIONAL TOUR 2018.
Cast, Doncaster, York Theatre Royal, ARC, Stockton, Live Theatre, Newcastle, HighTide, London, Gala Theatre, Durham, The Maltings, Berwick, The Peacock, Sunderland, Square Chapel, Halifax, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds, Unity Theatre, Liverpool, Sheffield Theatres,Theatre in the Mill, Bradford, Hull Truck, Camden People's Theatre, London
Production gallery
