LYDIA BESONG'S NEW PLAY OPENS AT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 27th
- ASYLUM TRIBUNAL APPEAL DATE NOW SET FOR APRIL 20th – THE SAME DAY AS THE FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE PLAY IN GREATER MANCHESTER
The festival, hosted by acta Community Theatre, takes place in Bristol where there will be two performances of Down with the Dictator. Greater Manchester audiences can see the play during April - at Bury Met Theatre and the Zion Arts Theatre, Hulme, Manchester.
The performance in Bury – where Lydia lives with her husband Bernard Batey – will be on the evening of Friday, April 20th, the same day their appeal hearing is due to be held at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in Manchester. The play is at the Zion Arts Theatre on April 27th.
Lydia and Bernard, both long standing human rights activists, have fought a high profile campaign for asylum in the UK. They were forced to flee Cameroon more than five years ago after they were imprisoned, tortured and persecuted for their political activities as members of the SCNC, a peaceful organisation which campaigns for the independence of Southern Cameroon. While she was in prison, Lydia was raped by a uniformed guard.
Down with the Dictator explores themes of power, political corruption and censorship. It reminds us of the consequences this can have for people all over the world – and shows why so many people are forced to flee from oppressive regimes.
The play is directed by Magdalen Bartlett, it is produced by Manchester-based Afrocats and supported by Community Arts North West as part of their Exodus Refugee Arts programme.
Community theatre companies from across Europe will take part in the international festival in Bristol. The festival is a celebration of the power of community theatre and provides an opportunity to explore contrasting stories about migration.
Lydia's previous play, How I Became An Asylum Seeker, focused on the experiences of women escaping persecution in their own countries and seeking asylum in the UK. This powerful production toured cities throughout the UK and was acclaimed by actor Juliet Stevenson who took part in an after play discussion at the performance in London.
English PEN, the organisation which campaigns for persecuted writers all over the world, has supported Lydia and Bernard's campaign for the the last three years.
Leading writers, including former Children's Laureate and author of War Horse Michael Morpurgo, sent an Open Letter to The Guardian in support of Lydia - and high profile lawyers, including Baroness Helena Kennedy, sent a similar letter to The Times. Other supporters include Stockport born writer and broadcaster Joan Bakewell, who now sits in the House of Lords, and the Bishop of Manchester.
For more information, please contact
Kath Grant 07812471047