If this humble review of The Scar Test, the second production by Untold Theatre, serves to make even a few more folks aware of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, then it’s served a more worthwhile purpose than the usual post on this blog. And if I can help triumph the good work being done by Untold Theatre and encourage people to attend a performance of this power ensemble play as well, well so much the better!
Yarl’s Wood is …
… a detention centre for foreign nationals prior to their deportation from the United Kingdom, one of 13 such centres currently in the UK – Wikipedia;
… a fully contained residential centre housing adult women and adult family groups awaiting immigration clearance – yarlswood.co.uk.
Written by Hannah Khalil and directed by Audrey Sheffield, The Scar Test is set within Yarl’s Wood and based on verbatim interviews of its former and present detainees. According to the interviews upon which the play is based, much of what goes on at Yarl’s Wood is appalling, far below the more human immigration practices in place in all other EU nations, and potentially even illegal.
I caught yesterday’s premiere of The Scar Test at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston. Not only touched by the performance and glad for the chance to see such compelling live theatre, I am more informed about the plight of refugees seeking safe haven in the UK and more aware of how poorly too many of these individuals are treated.
Cast includes Claire Chate, Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso, Charity Dooshima Or, Waleed Elgadi, John Gregor, Holly Kavanagh, Debbie Korley, Nadia Nadif, Eileen Nicholas, and Arinder Sadhra … and they all do a stunning job presenting a strong case for at least a bit more compassion toward refugees entering this country (many of them the survivors of torture and rape) and ideally a complete overhaul of the system.
Two upcoming opportunities for you to catch the play (soon!) including the following dates:
South Bank Arts Centre
Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AH (the town where Yarl’s Wood is located)
29 June at 7.30pm
southbankarts.com
Colchester Arts Centre
Church Street, Colchester, CO1 1NF
30 June at 8pm
colchesterartscentre.com
Find out more at theatreuntold.co.uk.
And even more:
