phosphoros theatre

refugees take centre stage

Phosphoros Theatre was founded in 2015 and is an award-winning, industry-leading company, focused on amplifying refugee voices and bringing them to the main stage. We make socially engaged performance with, for, and by refugees and asylum seekers. We make and hold space for those with forced migration backgrounds to voice, reflect on and respond to their lived experience, taking charge of the narratives that seldom include their perspective. We create nationally touring productions, deliver one-off and regular arts work with refugees, train professionals and provide paid work, training and development opportunities for refugee artists and youth workers.

Our fifth show ‘Tender’ toured in Spring 2024 and hopefully will return to theatres soon. Our Phosphoros Young Company for young refugees and asylum-seekers aged 16-21 year olds runs weekly. Phosphoros Sisters, is for refugee and-seeking women and girls. We are officially recognised as a Theatre Company of Sanctuary by City of Sanctuary.

£10 pays for a free ticket to one of our shows for a young refugee or asylum-seeker
£15 pays for a volunteer’s travel and expenses to support a workshop
£20 pays for a framed poster mementos for our members
£50 pays for travel for a refugee woman to come to a creative retreat
£100 pays for a meal for a refugee group after a show
£250 pays for a free drama workshop for a refugee group or ESOL class

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Instagram @phosphorostheatre

Last week we went to see Wolves on Road at @bushtheatre, written by Beru Tessema. We saw Beru’s last show, House of Ife, so were excited to see his next play which also shone a light on life in the ends with a foot back in Ethiopia. Wolves on Road explored the complex and alarming world of crypto currency and its troubling allure. We loved the show and it gave us lots to talk about! 📈 We were also pleased to meet a new friend who joined us for our trip, Aman, a respected performer from Ethiopia currently touring his solo show in the UK, supported by comedian and Phosphoros OG @jr_tewodros 🎤 A great night all round! Thanks for the tickets, Bush!

On Sunday our trainee facilitators came together for a leadership session where we focused on scaffolding exercises, clear communication and the importance of non-verbal instructions. We also took stock of Phosphoros’ key outcomes: bravery, belonging and creativity, and reflected on how we see these outcomes achieved in practice 🌈 Joining Kate in the running of the training this week were Abel, who brought back learning from a recent forum theatre course he’s been on, and our placement student Carina, who shared techniques learnt on her applied theatre degree at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama 🎭 We love being able to share and learn together, bouncing between participants and leaders and always sharing reflective feedback to help each other grow🪴

Here is some clips from our sharing on Sunday. Some of out work are developing we hope to share more in the future. . #london #tiktokuk #reels #explore #theatretiktok #shows #youngartisthelp

Last night we had a memorable evening presenting new work by the Phosphoros crew. 💔 ‘Bichu’ (work-in-progress), the first glimpse at Abel’s solo show exploring heartbreak, addiction and recovery. 🌺 ‘We Heal Each Other’, a care-filled and beautiful performance and short film from the Phosphoros Sisters highlighting refugee justice, the dehumanising experience of asylum seeker hotels and the oppression of trans women. 🍃’The Space Between Us’, a short film based on Kate’s PhD research featuring Abel and Sara, celebrating the power of found family. 🩷 Thanks for hosting us, @gatetheatre and Theatro Technis 🎭 We can’t wait to continue supporting the development of emerging artists from refugee backgrounds!

Last week marked the final board meeting for Nick Paladina, our excellent outgoing treasurer from our board of trustees. Nick joined our board back in early 2020 when everything looked a little different… he played a vital role in growing our CIC into a registered charity, shaping our financial strategy and supporting us to be in a strong financial position four years later, despite the precarious nature of arts funding. From having a close eye on funding applications to answering a million questions from our team, Nick has been the epitome of a critical friend. It has been a joy to work with Nick and have him support us not only behind the scenes but also attend performances and events. Our organisation would not be the same without his expert input and commitment. Over the past 6 months Nick has been mentoring our new treasurer Mehrdad, who recently joined our board and will now take over from Nick. Bye for now, Nick, and we hope to see you in the audience of one of our shows soon!