‘Refugee Boy’ will be performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse between 9th March and 30th March.

The play is an adaptation by Lemn Sissay of Benjamin Zephaniah’s 2001 novel.

It’s the story of Alem, who arrives at a B&B in Berkshire with his father, fleeing civil war. The next morning, his father is gone and Alem is on his own.

He waits to hear from his father and meets new friends along the way.

Alongside this production, the Playhouse is working in conjunction with
The City of Leeds School, The Children’s Society (HEARTS service – Helping Each Asylum seeker and Refugee To Settle), The Refugee Council (Yorkshire and Humberside) and City of Sanctuary, to put together a series of workshops and activities with schools.

We’ll be working with 3 schools. The project will consist of an awareness raising workshop, followed by a series of workshops with refugee artists.
The children will share their work at 2 open days at the Playhouse on 16th March and 23rd March, 10:30-12:30

There will also be a CPD day for teachers led by Schools of Sanctuary and an online resource available with lesson plans and information about refugees.

It is hoped that the project will provide a model that can be used in other schools in the future.

‘Refugee Boy’ on West Yorkshire Playhouse website