Iceandfire

The People Woke Up: The 2020 Revolution in Belarus // The Scottish storytelling centre // Edinburgh
2022-09-29 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
The People Woke Up:
The 2020 Revolution in Belarus
Scripted by: Christine Bacon

“There was this moment in 2020. It felt like the whole world was watching us and finally paying attention. It feels like a long time ago.”
Along with the People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland, we present the world premiere of a new script that tells the stories of people whose lives were changed forever in Belarus in 2020. Following the rigged election where Alexander Lukashenko extended his 27-year presidency still further, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians went out onto the streets to demonstrate and protest. This resulted in the most widespread and violent crackdown in Lukashenko’s reign, with thousands of peaceful protestors arrested and many tortured and killed at the hands of the security forces.
This new work tells the true stories of some of the people, in their own words, who were caught up in these tumultuous events and the impacts that are still felt today. It is presented as a rehearsed reading by an all Belarusian cast. The reading will be followed by an interval and post-show Q&A session.
You can book here to see the public performance of The People Woke Up at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh on Thursday September 29. There is a special abridged performance at the Scottish Parliament on September 28. Email actors@iceandfire.co.uk if you would like to attend.

Artistic Director of ice&fire, Christine Bacon, has said: “While the protests across Belarus attracted the attention of the world in August 2020, the cameras have now moved on. However, the people of Belarus continue to resist and risk their lives with the aim of removing the Lukashenko regime so a new nation can be built. With this new script, we invite audiences to listen to stories from the people at the heart of this struggle and ask themselves what they can do in solidarity with the people of Belarus.”
Irina McLean from The People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland said: “Sergey Tichanousky – 18 years of imprisonment. Aliaksandr Ivulin – 2 years of imprisonment. Maria Kolesnikova – 11 years of imprisonment. A vlogger. A sports journalist and footballer. A musician. Not criminals but citizens of THEIR country, who want it to be set free of pain, absurd autocracy and dictatorship. It is our pain. Every Belarusian feels it and this amazing opportunity to share it with others should help us to heal. This production will help us to tell our story. The story of our fight.”

This project is supported by Creative Scotland.

CAST
● Hanna Komar
● Mitya Savelau
● Victoria Milham
● Nastasya Korablina

The People Woke Up: The 2020 Revolution in Belarus // Scottish Parliament
2022-09-28 17:00 - 18:30
***This is a closed performance***
The People Woke Up:
The 2020 Revolution in Belarus
Scripted by: Christine Bacon

“There was this moment in 2020. It felt like the whole world was watching us and finally paying attention. It feels like a long time ago.”
Along with the People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland, we present the world premiere of a new script that tells the stories of people whose lives were changed forever in Belarus in 2020. Following the rigged election where Alexander Lukashenko extended his 27-year presidency still further, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians went out onto the streets to demonstrate and protest. This resulted in the most widespread and violent crackdown in Lukashenko’s reign, with thousands of peaceful protestors arrested and many tortured and killed at the hands of the security forces.
This new work tells the true stories of some of the people, in their own words, who were caught up in these tumultuous events and the impacts that are still felt today. It is presented as a rehearsed reading by an all Belarusian cast. The reading will be followed by an interval and post-show Q&A session.
You can book here to see the public performance of The People Woke Up at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh on Thursday September 29. There is a special abridged performance at the Scottish Parliament on September 28. Email actors@iceandfire.co.uk if you would like to attend.

Artistic Director of ice&fire, Christine Bacon, has said: “While the protests across Belarus attracted the attention of the world in August 2020, the cameras have now moved on. However, the people of Belarus continue to resist and risk their lives with the aim of removing the Lukashenko regime so a new nation can be built. With this new script, we invite audiences to listen to stories from the people at the heart of this struggle and ask themselves what they can do in solidarity with the people of Belarus.”
Irina McLean from The People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland said: “Sergey Tichanousky – 18 years of imprisonment. Aliaksandr Ivulin – 2 years of imprisonment. Maria Kolesnikova – 11 years of imprisonment. A vlogger. A sports journalist and footballer. A musician. Not criminals but citizens of THEIR country, who want it to be set free of pain, absurd autocracy and dictatorship. It is our pain. Every Belarusian feels it and this amazing opportunity to share it with others should help us to heal. This production will help us to tell our story. The story of our fight.”

This project is supported by Creative Scotland.
Photo credit: @olegzaicev

CAST
● Hanna Komar
● Mitya Savelau
● Victoria Milham
● Nastasya Korablina

This Is Who I Am // Sussex University
2022-09-15 14:00 - 15:30
This is a closed event

Detention Dialogues // The Studio // Edinburgh International Festival 2022
2022-08-21 19:30 - 21:00
Information here

Asylum Monologues // Doune the Rabbit Hole festival // Glasgow
2022-07-17 16:00 - 17:30
Details here

This Is Who I Am //Queen Marys London University
2022-07-15 12:30 - 14:00
This is a closed event.

This Is Who I Am // York St John University // Refugee Week
2022-06-24 13:30 - 15:30
Details to follow

This Is Who I Am // Frogomen LLP // Refugee Week
2022-06-21 14:00 - 15:30

Asylum Monologues // Durham University (STAR)
2022-05-27 16:30 - 18:30

Asylum Monologues // Knockengorroch World Ceildh Festival
2022-05-22 14:30 - 15:00
Home

This Is Who I Am // Knockengorroch World Ceildh Festival
2022-05-21 12:30 - 14:00

Asylum Monologues // Manchester University
2022-05-04 13:30 - 15:30

This Is Who I Am // Birmingham University
2022-04-26 15:00 - 17:00

Asylum Monologues // Birmingham University
2022-04-25 17:00 - 19:00

Asylum Monologues // Westminster University
2022-04-14 11:00 - 13:00

Asylum Monologues // Manchester University
2022-03-30 18:00 - 19:30
Details TBC

Asylum Monologues // Bangor University
2022-03-25 11:00 - 12:30

Asylum Monologues //Student Action For Refugees (STAR) Norwich University
2022-03-16 18:00 - 19:30

Asylum Monologues // Angelfield Festival Liverpool
2022-03-16 18:00 - 19:30

Asylum Monologues // Oxford Brookes University
2022-03-15 17:00 - 18:30

Asylum Monologues // York St Johns University
2022-03-02 18:00 - 19:30

This Is Who I Am // SOAS British Red Cross
2022-02-23 18:00 - 19:30
British Red Cross on Campus at SOAS are so excited to be hosting ice&fire Theatre for LGBT+ History Month.

About this event

“Then they separated us. We tried to say no, we applied for asylum as a couple. They say we don’t have any civil evidence that we are a couple. And we’re like “how can we show you any civil evidence if homosexuality is forbidden in my country?”
This Is Who I Am is a rehearsed reading of first-hand accounts from LGBT+ refugees’ experiences of fleeing their home country and the challenges they face undergoing the UK asylum process. Read by members of the Actors For Human Rights network at ice&fire Theatre, the reading will be accompanied by a panel discussion.
ice&fire explores human rights stories to make accessible theatre for UK audiences which shares real people’s human rights stories in order to change prevailing negative attitudes and promote inclusion. All our work centres on real people’s experiences. We believe sharing these experiences with the public can change minds, encourage a deeper understanding and encourage positive action.
“This was not what I expected. I was expecting some kind of inauthentic moralising verbatim theatre experience.The acting was delicate, minimal, allowing the words to speak for themselves. Although we know it must go on, it’s still shocking to hear the first-hand accounts of people devoured by the heartless machine of bureaucracy. This was brave, honest, close to the bone” OXFORD THEATRE REVIEW
*Please note that the testimonies include accounts of state, sexual and homophobic violence*

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/this-is-who-i-am-with-actors-for-human-rights-tickets-251892997737

This Is Who I Am // St Margarets House
2022-02-16 19:00 - 20:30

This Is Who I Am - The Women // University of the West of England
2022-02-14 14:30 - 16:00

Asylum Monologues // Survivors UK
2022-02-12 13:30 - 15:30

This Is Who I Am // University of York
2022-02-10 17:30 - 20:30

This Is Who I Am // Reading University
2022-02-02 15:00 - 16:30

We Like To Move It Move It @ RichMix, Shoreditch
2021-10-16 19:30 - 20:30
We Like To Move It Move It | Just Another Immigration Variety Show

How do you solve a problem like immigration? Karaoke, moral philosophy and immigration controls come together in an all-immigrant variety show, serving up jokes, songs and plenty to chew over. There’s something for everyone! (But should there be?)
https://vimeo.com/594201454
What is behind our collective acceptance of immigration control? What does it say about us and what do those who have come to the UK from somewhere else want to say about it? ice&fire theatre and Matthew Schmolle productions (in collaboration with the Philosophy Department at King’s College London) invite you to join the (very jolly) conversation. Directed by Olivier award winner Donnacadh O’Briain.
Written by Amy Ng and Donnacadh O’Briain
Produced by ice&fire theatre and Matthew Schmolle Productions
The Company – Jahmila Heath, Tomoko Komura, Gaël Le Cornec and Sergio Maggiolo
Director – Donnacadh O’Briain
Set and Costume Designer – Elizabeth Rose
Sound Designer – Tingying Dong
Stage Manager – Kayleigh Atkinson
Booking details HERE

We Like To Move It Move It @ Stanley Arts, Norwood
2021-10-15 19:30 - 20:30

We Like To Move It Move It @ St Catherine’s Church, Neasden
2021-10-14 19:30 - 20:30
