Preview: The Help By Cardboard Citizens

By Hazel Last edited 184 months ago
Preview: The Help By Cardboard Citizens
TheHelp.jpg

Challenging our perceptions of homelessness, Cardboard Citizens' latest forum theatre production pays a visit to the atmospheric Toynbee Studios tomorrow. The Help, written by Sarah Woods, centres on the uncertainties faced by a lone migrant worker from the Philippines, a troubled young man placed in care, and the hostel worker paid to care for him. In the spirit of the Choose Your Own Adventure stories, forum theatre allows the audience to discuss the challenges faced by the characters in the play and to try out new approaches to improve the outcome of the story for the protagonist.

Cardboard Citizens is currently the UK’s only professional theatre company working with homeless or at-risk individuals to create theatre that explores homelessness and social exclusion. All of the actors in The Help have personal experience of homelessness, and became involved with Cardboard Citizens either through workshops at Crisis Skylight or at their individual hostels. As the Cardboard Citizens’ ambassador, the reverential yet ravishing Kate Winslet, puts it, 'no company in the UK better demonstrates the capacity of theatre to transform lives through personal empowerment and the rebuilding of shattered confidence'. After the show, there will be an opportunity to talk to the actors about their experiences.

The Help, Wednesday 19th November, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Road, E1, free of charge (suggested donation £5). For more information go to the Cardboard Citizens website here.

By Carolyn Butler. Image courtesy of Matt From London

Last Updated 18 November 2008