The Stranger’s Case, a response to the refugee crisis at the Everyman’s Everyword, has added more Liverpool artists and performers to its talented line-up on Saturday. Celebrated writer Frank Cottrell Boyce completes the roster of eight writers, while performers will include Leanne Best, Eileen O’Brien, Kieran Urquhart and Liam Tobin. Actor David Morrissey has also backed the project that will see every penny of ticket sales going to the Charity Help Refugees.
Morrissey said: “In the last few years I’ve visited a number of refugee camps around the world, both official and unofficial ones, including Jordan, Greece, Lebanon and Calais. The plight of these people in 2016 is without doubt the challenge of our age. It is a humanitarian crisis Europe has not seen the like of since World War II.
The political points of view about this crisis are diverse and often confusing, but the humanitarian need of these people trying to flee conflict and civil war has to be met with the utmost urgency. I am delighted that Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse have organised this event. Please help in any way you can.”
The theatres feel it is important to represent the refugee crisis on stage and will be filling the piece with stories, poetry and music. Frank Cottrell Boyce, famed for the Olympic Opening Ceremony, Welcome to Sarajevo and Millions, has joined the other writers including Saphena Aziz, Jeff Young and Lizzie Nunnery to create a response to the current situation across Europe. Leanne Best, who is currently appearing in I.T.V.’s Home Fires and the B.B.C.’s Undercover, is part of a cast that includes Eileen O’Brien, Kieran Urquhart and Liam Tobin.
In addition to The Stanger’s Case, Everyword runs until Saturday evening with a series of events and readings. There is the chance to see an early working of a new play-in-progress from Michael Wynne, The Big Brilliant Music Hall Show based on the Playhouse’s Music Hall past. For Liverpool Light Night, the festival will create an installation called The Invisible City, a free event for people to drop into throughout the evening.
Shôn Dale-Jones, who was at the Everyman with The Duke, presents a story-in-progress called Stories From…. on Thursday evening. The performance is a solo improvisation inspired by his childhood memories of living in a small market town on the middle of the Isle of Anglesey
The Everyman is donating the full ticket price for The Stranger’s Case to Help Refugees www.helprefugees.org.uk and will also be collecting goods for Asylum Link, for refugees who have made it here to Liverpool www.asylumlink.org.uk.
Thursday 12th May
Changing the world one play at a time
With Catrina McHugh
A workshop for all theatre-makers
EV 2 and Theatre Bar, 3pm – 6pm, £5
Stories From…
By Shôn Dale-Jones
A story-in-progress
Everyman Theatre, 8pm, £7
Friday 13th May
Writing What You Know, Writing What You Don’t Know
With Chloe Todd Fordham
A workshop for playwrights,
Everyman Theatre, 3pm – 6pm, £5
The Invisible City
An installation for Liverpool Light Night
Everyman Theatre, 6pm – 9pm, Free
Saturday 14th May
The personal is political: feeling first, then thinking
With Dawn Walton
A workshop for writers and theatre-makers
EV 1, 12noon – 3pm, £5
The Stranger’s Case
Liverpool artists respond to the refugee crisis
Everyman Theatre, 4.30pm, £7
The Big Brilliant Music Hall Show
An as-yet-untitled entertainment by Michael Wynne
A reading of scenes and songs
Everyman Theatre, 8pm, £7