Sampad South Asian Arts & Heritage present the World Premiere of the brand-new play The Walls Between Us at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th November 2021.
Produced by Sampad, The Walls Between Us has been specially commissioned for The BEDLAM Arts and Mental Health Festival 2021 which aims to raise awareness and get people thinking and talking about mental health through the arts.
The play focuses on the Jamil family and their own experiences during the pandemic.
Rahil, a key worker, decides to self-isolate in his room to protect his elderly mother, Fazeela. Fazeela is struggling with the speed at which lockdown has been enforced and being cut off from her family and friends. Rahil’s daughter, Malaika, is stuck at home, unable to go back to university. Will the Jamils pull together to help each other out through these difficult times? Or will they allow for the pandemic to push them apart?
The Walls Between Us, written by Farrah Chaudhry, brings to the stage researched, personal experiences of Covid-19, looking at issues of grief, mental health and how different generations find ways to connect.
Farrah started writing in her teens and since then storytelling has been her passion. Reviewed by the Birmingham Post as a ‘writer to watch’, she has enjoyed several notable achievements and recognition for her work. A graduate of the Royal Court and Birmingham REP Foundry, Farrah has also turned her skills to TV, having worked in the story offices of leading soap Coronation Street and Tanglin, a daily drama in Singapore. Farrah is an Associate Artist at 1623 theatre company, where she was commissioned to write one half of the double-bill Lear/Cordelia. Farrah’s debut short film, Look At Us, was an official selection for the UK Asian Film Festival 2021, where it was premiered, and has subsequently been selected for festivals globally, including Aesthetica in York and ZEBRA in Berlin.
Speaking about the play Farrah said “During the research process, I heard some really inspirational and uplifting stories, but equally some really upsetting stories too. The pandemic has affected people in so many different ways, it was really important for me to pull on the research to show how people have found new ways to connect and support one another and their communities, but also the significant impact on mental health. The Walls Between Us draws on this research and each character, though fictional, has been inspired by real stories.”
The Walls Between Us, directed by Suzanne Gorman, features a dynamic cast including British South Asian Actor Ravneet Sehra, Midlands based Vimal Korpal and Promila Bittu-Safaya who performed in Sampad’s acclaimed production No Bond So Strong in 2019.
The Walls Between Us premieres at The REP on Wednesday 17th November at 8pm (Relaxed performance/Socially distanced performance); and Thursday 18th November at 8pm (BSL Interpreted performance). Tickets can be booked online www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
