World Premiere at Camden People’s Theatre
11 - 22 October 2022
Tickets available here: https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/wipe-these-tears
A primary school in the UK today reports a pupil believed to be harbouring anti-British sentiments to the police. 1842, the remnants of the East India Company army retreat from Kabul to British India. A woman searches for her lover on the Highway of Death, Iraq, 1991. An arms deal negotiated in a war zone hotel changes a young businessman’s life forever.
A bouquet of flesh flowers melted into each other
Hand to hand
Face to shoulder
Chemical unification of skins
wipe these tears is a theatrical montage journeying across borders and centuries to explore imperial methods of crushing dissent and to celebrate solidarity. Told by an ensemble of female performers it is the result of interviews with over 90 individuals including survivors of war & torture from Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Palestine & Guantanámo Bay; ex-service people deployed in Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Libya, Somalia & the 1st Gulf War; clinical psychologists specialising in torture & war crimes; surgeons & paramedics working in war-zones & the UK’s leading anti-war, anti-Islamophobia, state crime & colonial studies academics & activists.
wipe these tears is female & BME-led, the cast of which will comprise entirely of working class & BME women representing their communities, languages & cultures on stage.
Consultants: Andrew Feinstein, Laleh Khalili, Dr Nivi Manchanda, Malia Bouattia, Shah Mahmoud Hanifi, Sanaa Alimia, Sai Englert, Dr. Tanzil Chowdhury, Prof. Penny Green, Dr. Frank Arnold, Nisha Kapoor, Shahd I Abusalama, Asim Qureshi, Moazzam Begg, Shezana Hafiz, Ryvka Bernard, Prof. Nimisha Patel.
With thanks to Lara Sawalha, Olivia Vicol, Zac Downs, Kiays Khalil, Joshua Gadsby, Naomi Kuyck-Cohen, Sparks Theatrical Lighting Hires, BOLD theatre, Applecart Arts, the interviewees who wish to remain anonymous, Rhona Michie, Alessandra Sciarra, Ibtehal Hussain, Kieran O'Connor, Maya Osborne, Maz Saleem, Stop The War, Alexandra Mihalcea, CAAT, Theatre Delicatessen, David Ralf.
wipe these tears 11 - 22 october 2022
Supported by Arts Council England, Camden People’s Theatre & International State Crime Initiative.
Camden People’s Theatre run Team:
Playwright: Sînziana Cojocărescu
Cast: Sofia Asir, Lizzie Clarke, iulia isar, Shala Nyx, Kareem Samara, Sama Rantisi
Director: Nico Vaccari
Produced by Claire Gilbert
Set design: Cory Shipp
Composer: Kareem Samara
Stage Manager: Ang Yeh
Lighting design & Videography: Amy Daniels
Costume design: Giulia Gallon
Translation English to Arabic: Karama Fadel
Social Media: Zuhalhan Kızıltuğ
Sound design: Daniel Balfour
Fight director & Intimacy Coordinator: Haruka Kuroda
Laura Hanna: Singing Coach
Puppetry Director - Marie Fortune for Foan & Fortune
PR: SR Publicity
wipe these tears 1842 short film 11 - 23 April 2022
Supported by Arts Council England, Camden People’s Theatre & International State Crime Initiative.
SHORT FILM Team:
Writer & Script Supervisor: Sînziana Cojocărescu
Cast: Sienna Afsar, Lizzie Clarke, Silai Estatira, iulia isar, Sama Rantisi
Director: Nico Vaccari
Produced by Claire Gilbert
Set design: Êvar Hussayni
Costume design: Giulia Gallon
Cinematographer & Editor: Natali Khalili Tari
Lighting design: D-Lux Rentals
Make-up & hair: Sofia Paradis
Fight director: Haruka Kuroda
Production manager: Elise Hassan
Sound: Jonathan Eato
Text-based R&D 9th - 20th November 2020
Supported by Arts Council England, Camden People’s Theatre & International State Crime Initiative.
R&D Team:
Cast: Lizzie Clarke, iulia isar, Shala Nyx, Lara Sawalha, Sama Rantisi
Director: Nico Vaccari
Writer: Sînziana Cojocărescu
Composer: Kareem Samara
Cinematographer: Kiays Khalil
Sound design: Daniel Balfour
Co-designers: Naomi Kuyck-Cohen & Joshua Gadsby
Produced by Claire Gilbert for