Phosphoros Theatre

Edfest Bouquets 2016

 

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31/08/16

It’s been another amazing August for us at Bouquets & Brickbats. We’re exhausted after a month of non-stop theatre and comedy! We have seen some absolutely fantastic stuff, covering a huge range of ideas. Here’s our pick of the best we’ve seen at this year’s Fringe:

Drama Bouquets

  1. Neontopia / Wales Millennium Centre – A Good Clean Heart by Alun Saunders
  2. Aurora Nova – The Blind Date Project by Bojana Novakovic
  3. Rainbow Class by Vivienne Acheampong
  4. Gaggle Babble / National Theatre Wales – Wonderman by Daf James
  5. Something for the Weekend – Royal Vauxhall by Desmond O’Connor

Monologue Bouquets

  1. NJC Productions – The Way the City Ate the Stars by Will Greenway
  2. George Dillon – Stunning the Punters (& Other Stories) by Berkoff, Sproat and Dostoevsky
  3. Lorenzo Novani – Cracked Tiles by Lorenzo Novani
  4. Impi Theatre Company – The South Afreakins by Robyn Paterson
  5. Berk’s Nest – Vaudeville by Tom Neenan

Stand-up Comedy Bouquets

  1. Bridget Christie – Mortal
  2. Sarah Kendall – Shaken 
  3. Loyiso Gola – Dude, Where’s My Lion?
  4. Garrett Millerick – The Dreams Stuff is Made Of
  5. John Robertson – Arena Spectacular

‘Ones to Watch Out For’ Bouquets

  1. Phosporos Theatre – Dear Home Office
  2. Chris Dugdale – Full Circle
  3. Flabbergast Theatre – Tatterdemalion
  4. Teateri – Evil by Jesper Arin
  5. Amy Howerska – Smashcat

Dear Home Office

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28/08/16

Underbelly  Med Quad, Edinburgh

Theatre is a diverse art form that serves many purposes, but few of its incarnations are as affecting and important as a project like Dear Home Office.

It’s the story of unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in the UK, and it’s performed with touching vulnerability by eight refugee boys from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia and Albania. And it’s hard to watch.

The play tells us about ‘Tariq’, whose story is an amalgamation of the performers’ own experiences, blended with fictional accounts, all developed in devising workshops. It’s cleverly structured, so that the actors’ inexperience doesn’t matter; their artless performances make the piece utterly compelling. This is not about polished delivery or exquisite drama skills; it’s a raw and truthful exposé – and it’s a vital piece of work.

We hear of desperate parents, who believe that their children’s survival depends on sending them away; of young boys crossing continents as fugitives, fighting to survive in an unforgiving world. Children who have experienced more horrors than most adults ever will, being questioned and disbelieved. These kids have endured so much – and they’re the lucky ones. Because they have the support of Kate Duffy and the Afghan Association Paiwand, who mentor unaccompanied minors and assist them into education, housing, etc., as well as advocating for them. And they have Phosphoros Theatre, who have helped them share their stories with a wider audience.

I cried most of the way through this play. But my tears don’t help anyone at all. I need to do something, because this really matters. There are thousands of children in the same situation, and we can’t stand by and let them suffer.

“Donate, volunteer, lobby, talk… Challenge preconceptions.” That’s what I intend to do.

5 stars

Susan Singfield