How our volunteer Coline helped with an award-winning play

‘‘In the water now up to the waist, there are some who struggle to walk, staying upright as best they can, holding what’s left of their belongings, clinging to one another…”

This haunting image of people struggling as they attempt to cross the Channel comes from lines in a brilliant play about refugees now being performed in London.

The play, One Who Wants to Cross, has won several awards, and we’re proud to say our amazing volunteer Coline played a part in the London production. The producer Clarisse Makundul wanted the audience to be able to ask questions after the performance, and on the opening night she put together a panel. As well as the actors and playwright, she invited Coline to give her perspective as a Care4Calais volunteer.

“The audience had many questions, and they were particularly pleased to be getting a different perspective, almost witnessing first hand what refugees goes through and how they feel about it,” said Coline. “The play has a strong effect on audiences because it focuses on the stories of real, individual people. The playwright, Marc-Emmanuel Soriano, is French, and did a huge amount of research and interviews. As a volunteer I feel strongly that refugees’ voices are what’s missing from the debate in the media, and something like this play can help with that. I was quite nervous about being on the panel, but it was fine. It felt good to give people concrete information and a different view from what they are used to hearing, and to help answer questions people had.”

One Who Wants to Cross, directed by Alice Hamilton, is currently at the Finborough Theatre, London. Tickets: https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/one-who-wants-to-cross/