Welcome To The Jungle

An ARC Stockton production
By Umar Butt

A brand new drama comes to Storyhouse! 

An intensely personal tale of how two strangers came to meet each other in the middle of the night on an empty bridge: a story of identity, migration, belonging and human connection.

After being placed in grave danger, Tamanna has fled from her family home in Pakistan, travelled illegally across continents, spent time in the Calais Jungle, and has ended up here.

Charlie has been at a nightclub, dancing and drinking, looking for her own kind of refuge from the weight of caring for her terminally ill mum.

As Charlie emerges from the club into the night air, she sees a figure standing on the edge of a nearby bridge, and is compelled to run to them. This is the moment Charlie’s and Tamanna’s lives entwine. Are they able to accept each other, share their truths with one another, is this a chance meeting, or fate?

Featuring original live music and striking physical theatre, Welcome to the Jungle is a poignant story of how two strangers come to meet each other at pivotal moments in both their lives.

This deeply moving but ultimately uplifting show seeks to help neighbours understand each other better and celebrate our differences.

Trigger warning: the show deals with migration, addiction and violence.

Pre-event conversation (2-3pm)

As part of Welcome to the Jungle writer and director Umar Butt would like to welcome you to Conversation Café. Join Umar at this free event where he will share his personal story and experience of migration, discussing how he and his family reached the UK.

There will be a chance to participate in open and honest conversations surrounding the themes and topics of the show, which will enable people to listen, feel heard and share different experiences of how we get to be where we are, the choices we make or are led to make, and the paths we follow.

These conversations will be facilitated by Umar and held within a safe and supportive space. Umar is an Urdu speaker and has worked previously with refugee and asylum seekers. Complimentary tea and coffee will be provided for all participants.

We would like to advise all participants that all information shared within the event will be confidential and handled with care and respect.

Conversation Café will discuss, in detail, personal stories of migration and displacement. Please be aware that the themes and topics discussed during this event can be potentially triggering for some participants.

Creatives:
Writer/Director Umar Butt
Assistant Director Jameela Khan
Music Composer Seweryna Dudzinska
Animation Adam York

Cast:
Umar Butt
Anisa Butt
Liz Simmons
Alberto Dumba
Juho Hankela