SUPPLIANTS OF SYRIA
For over a decade, war in Syria has forced millions from their homes. Across Europe, displacement is framed as a threat rather than a human reality. Borders have tightened, the language around asylum has grown more hostile, and the voices of refugees themselves remain unheard.
SUPPLIANTS OF SYRIA begins from the belief that this is not a crisis of people, but of the stories told about them.
Developed through a month-long collaboration with Syrian refugee women in Turkey, this new interactive multimedia performance places first-hand accounts of displacement at its core.
Filmed testimonies intertwine with music, movement, poetry and moments of humour, as performers Tobi King Bakare, Vlad Gurdis and Albie Marber create a live response to the voices on screen. Together, filmed and live elements form a dialogue across time, gender and geography between those who cross borders and those who draw them.
A contemporary reimagining of Aeschylus’ Suppliants, the first drama to confront the politics of asylum, the work reveals how urgently these questions continue to resonate today.
At the centre of each night is a public debate, inviting audiences to take part in the questions the play leaves unresolved.
BEFORE AND AFTER THE SHOW:
The performance is framed by an exhibition of visual art by artists from refugee backgrounds. Following each performance, the space is held open through live music, offering a moment of reflection and calm.
3 & 5 March | Rama Alcoutlabi is a Syrian vocalist whose work draws on sacred and traditional vocal practices of the Levant, exploring how voice carries memory and identity across displacement. She will be joined on stage by multi-instrumentalist Mario Christofi
4 & 7 March | Rihab Azar is a Syrian oud player and composer trained at the Conservatoire of Music in Damascus, whose work is rooted in Arabic music while embracing diverse influences.
6 March | Sounds Like Home is an open-access international women's choir based in Hoxton. It invites women of all backgrounds, ages and abilities to share songs from the places they’ve called home.
8 March | Amies Freedom Choir work with young women who have survived trafficking, using group singing as a powerful means of confidence-building and cultural exchange.
Cast
Tobi King Bakare
Actor and writer whose work spans political theatre, physical performance and screen. Previous collaborations with Border Crossings include THE GREAT EXPERIMENT and THE GAZA MONOLOGUES. Recent work includes I May Destroy You and the West End production of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy.
Vlad Gurdis
Theatre artist and writer working across devising, ensemble-led practice and socially engaged performance. Part of the leadership of Dublin-based Freshly Ground Theatre and an educational facilitator at the Abbey Theatre. Brings a strong cross-cultural perspective to the work.
Albie Marber
Writer and actor with experience across theatre, film and television, including the feature film Tolkien and work for ITV and Netflix. His stage work ranges from classical texts to contemporary new writing.
SUPPLIANTS OF SYRIA is a limited-run premiere event at Hoxton Hall. Tickets are sold via Hoxton Hall’s website.
In the press:
Suppliants of Syria: Syrian Women’s Stories on London Stage - StageLync
- Interview: Artistic Director Michael Walling - Culture Calling
- Interview: Tobi King Bakare - Theatre Weekly
TEASER TRAILER
SUPPORTED BY
The development phases of SUPPLIANTS OF SYRIA was supported by the British Council’s Creative Collaborations Grant Programme, the Anna Lindh Foundation and Arts Council England. The premiere production is supported by Arts Council England. Arriving, Becoming, Belonging outreach project is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.
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