The Everyman will host the opening event of this year’s Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF), with a two-night run of Queens of Syria, a ground-breaking theatre piece created and performed by female Syrian refugees. The production mixes the real-life experiences of the refugees with Euripides’ classic anti-war tale, The Trojan Women, and will be performed on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th July.

First staged in Amman in 2013 and the subject of an award-winning documentary, Queens of Syria is an extraordinary piece of multimedia theatre. Performed by an all-female cast, the production skilfully amalgamates the women’s own narratives of bitter exile and ferocious war into the ancient Greek text. Footage from the documentary is fused with the stage play for the first time to create a powerful and unique piece of theatre.

These are not the voices of political commentators or journalists, but of ordinary women whose lives have been turned upside down by the turmoil of the Syrian conflict. The stories of these women need to be heard.

Everyman & Playhouse Artistic Director Gemma Bodinetz said, “It’s a privilege to be working with Liverpool Arab Arts Festival to help bring this important project to the city. We believe it is vital that we put the lives and experiences of people on stage and tell their stories, whether that story is local or international. The Queen osf Syria is an extraordinary story told by extraordinary women that has something urgent to say about the world and the refugee crisis.”

The production tours the U.K. for three weeks this summer and will be a life-changing opportunity for the refugees themselves, and a revelatory experience for British audiences who will hear first-hand the harsh realities of life as a refugee.

Speaking about her experiences of being involved in the original production, one cast member said, “We came into a new society, a new way of life: we were isolated. Doing this play helped us break the ice; we started to connect with others and make friends. It gave us the courage we needed to talk about our problems frankly and clearly. We feel that we can do something for Syria, and the Syrian people, by sending a message to the whole world – hopefully someone can help us end this tragedy.”

Taher Qassim, Chair of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival said, “This year LAAF explores the theme Undocumented through a programme of remarkable and unusual events, exhibitions and performances, which seek to present the Arab world from a new perspective, away from the one-dimensional portrayals in the mainstream. We are proud to be launching with Queens of Syria, an incredible piece of work that gives the women a voice that may otherwise not be heard.”

LAAF is the U.K.’s premier annual Arab arts festival and will bring a packed 10-day programme of music, theatre, dance, visual art, literature, talks and family friendly events to the city from 15th to 24th July. The Festival was inaugurated in 2002 to celebrate, raise awareness and promote an understanding and appreciation of Arab culture for both Arab and non-Arab audiences in Liverpool and beyond.

Tickets are priced at £9 – £16* and can be purchased from the Box office on 0151 709 4776 and online at www.everymanplayhouse.com

*A single transaction fee of £2 applies to all phone, counter and internet bookings. Cash payments are exempt from any transaction fees.