Lewisham was recently named the first Borough of Sanctuary, its aim to make Lewisham a safe place for all to live. As part of Refugee Week (17-23 June), Sydenham-based theatre company Spontaneous Productions will be staging a very special event Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre, to mark this venture.

Telling the true stories of those who have made their home here and in SE London, writers from our ScriptHub workshops have collaborated with refugees, migrants and asylum seekers to create original spoken word pieces – providing a voice for those not previously heard, and celebrating our common humanity through monologue, poetry, music, dance and multi-media.           [continued…]

Hosted by Iranian singer Mahshid Torkan, expect a powerful, moving and entertaining array of stories – many uplifting, but all touching on the difficulties found in leaving one home to make another here. We are delighted to include the fantastic Flotsam Sessions orchestra in the event programme 

Flotsam Sessions is a London-based project creating exciting musical spaces where people from diverse backgrounds and experiences come together to share, express, learn and perform music. With a base in folk and roots music from all over the world, they aim to create cross-cultural dialogue that transcends borders and creates a human space for all

Besides the participants themselves – some of whom will be sharing their own stories – professional actors and spoken word artists/poets will be bring these tales to vivid life, reminding us of our shared values, in an increasingly fragile world.

Please note this a fundraising event to help keep Spontaneous Productions afloat! Our scaled ticket price enables you to donate as much or as little as you can afford. Pay in advance using the price scale below, or ‘pay what you can’ on the door, from 6.45pm.