LONDON , July.14 – The Shoo theater in London performed a drama about the difficult life of immigrants in the UK on July 13 and 14. The was the premiere of this exciting, truly unique collaboration between acclaimed artists from Israel, Palestine, Kosovo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, Lebanon, India and Egypt. It is the story of the hopeful struggles of immigrants: the intimacy of personal journeys; the enduring strength of the õ-an-hour British immigrant class; the silence, followed by the human bond created one night during the closing time of an upmarket restaurant, where those left behind to clear tables share what made them leave their countries – what was gained, and what was lost. Conflict Zone Theatre Company makes its Edinburgh Festival debut with this dynamic, diverse ensemble piece, using a mixture of styles and influences from the actors’ home countries. The play had been workshopped at the Soho Theatre and the Writers’ Centre following a month-long residency at Cove Park in Argyll and Bute, funded by the Jerwood Foundation. Director Michael Ronen’s first collaboration with Israel ‘s greatest living playwright Joshua Sobol, was the highly acclaimed UK premiere of ‘I Witness’ at the Finborough Theatre. ‘Ronen’s directorial debut is brilliant. Watch this space for further offerings from this young and exceptionally talented director.’ Rivka Jacobson, British Theatre Guide Now, the award-winning author of Ghetto, returns to the UK to collaborate with some of Britain ‘s most exciting emerging playwrights. Joshua Sobol
( Israel ), Debo Oluwatuminu ( Nigeria ), Jeta Xharra (Kosovo), Razanne Carmey
( Palestine ) and Azma Darr ( Pakistan ) have co-written Closing Time. Conflict Zone is an innovative, multi-cultural theatre group based in London , made up of professional theatre performers, all of who come from countries that are experiencing political or social turmoil. The basis of the company’s work is story telling derived from the performers’ native and ancient cultures – stories and themes of conflict in their homeland, and personal experiences as immigrants, from conflict zones, into London .
