Third Angel and SBC Theatre: The Journeys

Here is one of those ideas that seems simple on the surface but which digs deep. Across a map of the world, two men and two women are gently placing split chickpeas in lines, joining points between black pebbles. The lines mark journeys, and notes of some of these journeys are read out at intervals. You can read them too, placed along the map’s edge.

There are stories of migration and immigration, at once personal and political and the gentle rhythm of the work being done on the floor, and the non-theatrical delivery of the readings has a quiet power. Sunlight filters through high, stained glass windows. There are dark wooden pews to sit on. Both add to the peacefulness and intent of the action.

It’s not unlike Stan’s Café’s Of All The People In All The World, which used another well-traded commodity – rice – bringing abstract statistics to life through piles or grains of rice. The Journeys may lack that show’s visual impact and wow factor, but it speaks powerfully of life today for hundreds of thousands of humans.

Some will find the speakers insufficiently performative and mutter ‘use bigger print on the cards’ or ‘get some sight reading practice’. But I found the occasional mis-reads and hesitation refreshing – they are representatives of ordinary folk, and it’s good to hear an ordinary voice.

As invited, I wrote my own migration story, which for my forebears involved a timely escape from pogroms, but which has had little impact on how I have lived my life. The Journeys is a graphic reminder that for many, that is sadly not the case.

The production, presented by Brighton Festival as part of the Caravan showcase, is a collaboration between SBC, the UK’s first Theatre Company of Sanctuary and Third Angel, who have been producing politically engaged work since 1995. Initially commissioned by Migration Matters Festival in Sheffield, it is a piece that can travel easily and resonate widely across borders.

 

 

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About Lisa Wolfe

Lisa Wolfe is a freelance theatre producer and project manager of contemporary small-scale work. Companies and people she has supported include: A&E Comedy, Three Score Dance, Pocket Epics, Jennifer Irons,Tim Crouch, Liz Aggiss, Sue MacLaine, Spymonkey and many more. Lisa was Marketing Manager at Brighton Dome and Festival (1989-2001) and has also worked for South East Dance, Chichester Festival Theatre and Company of Angels. She is Marketing Manager for Carousel, learning-disability arts company.