World acclaimed homeless theatre company Cardboard Citizens today announced they have forged a relationship with Shelter Scotland which will see them work together to address homelessness and help those who have experienced it, using theatre as one of the key platforms.
Efforts will be centred on raising awareness, access opportunities and participation in Cardboard Citizens’ critically acclaimed production Cathy, which will make its Edinburgh Fringe debut next month following a sell-out UK tour. The production is a modern reimagining of Ken Loach and Jeremy Sandford’s seminal film Cathy Come Home, which first screened in 1966, causing national public outrage. The film inspired the Housing Act and the creation of Shelter later that year.
Directed by Adrian Jackson, the new play continues Cardboard Citizens’ exploration of the state of housing and homelessness and looks how life might be for a Cathy today. Cathy was researched in partnership with Shelter and is based on true stories, providing a timely reflection of the social and personal impact of spiralling housing costs, gentrification and the challenges of a lack of truly affordable housing. In Scotland, there are currently, over 10,500 homeless households in temporary accommodation, 142,500 on council waiting lists for a home and a homelessness application was made every 19 minutes in Scotland last year.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe audiences will be encouraged to take action after each performance with a short Legislative Theatre section in which audiences will be given a chance to voice their opinion, take action, express their views and contribute to the proposal of new housing laws.
The format follows the high-profile performance of Cathy at the House of Lords earlier this year when the company presented to MPs the top five housing laws suggested by audiences on the UK tour. Shelter Scotland will provide guidance and advice to the company following the collation of audience contributions in order to influence and effect change in Scotland.
As with all Cardboard Citizens productions, a proportion of tickets for Cathy’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe run will be made available to people with experience of homelessness at £1, with Shelter Scotland working alongside the theatre company to allocate these tickets to local organisations working with homeless, ex-homeless and vulnerable people.
Shelter Scotland will help raise awareness of Cathy and encourage and support as many people as possible to see the show, have their say and take action.
