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Cardboard Citizens: Bystanders

Bystanders begins with staging reminiscent of a police detective’s office – plain desks, a few chairs, and piles of boxes full of paperwork and evidence. This subtly adds support to the premise that, although performed by actors, this is a work based on the testimonies of real people—that Bystanders is, long-story-short, a work of 'verbatim theatre'. Except, after a deliberately flagged false start, we’re clearly told this isn’t the case.

Bystanders is a call to take homelessness more personally

All the stories making up Bystanders are true, and a few may even be familiar to the audience, given they made the news. But we’re reminded that, with just one exception, the creative and production team only spoke with one of the six people featured, relying for the rest on court reports, official documents and speculation and imagination. Do they – do we? – have a right to do the latter? Their assertion is a clear yes, if it ensures a degree of authenticity, showing how homelessness can bring people down in both spectacular and unspectacular ways.

Cast members Jake Good, Libby Liburd, Mark Locyer and Andre Skeete share the numerous roles, on occasions explaining that their characters are speaking in accents or foreign languages without trying to imitate them. They maintain a strong clarity throughout, despite the numerous scenarios and characters. If they play them broad on occasions, that’s not without effect—so used are we to Skeete playing former boxer Vernon, that it’s a genuine and humbling shock when we’re shown photographs of the real man. That’s important so that we’re reminded that these are real people, with real lives.

Brought into shape by director Adrian Jackson and dramaturge Sarah Woods, Bystanders is a call to take homelessness more personally. Indeed, we’re shown people doing just that – like Jenny, the good-natured staff member at Terminal 5, setting up a crowdfunding campaign to help a man get back to Greece. That these different stories entwine towards the end might feel like narrative expediency, but this is about showing how none of us are really bystanders.

Reviews by Paul Fisher Cockburn

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Since you’re here…

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You can donate to the charity of your choice, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are three charities we really like.

Mama Biashara
Kate Copstick’s charity, Mama Biashara, works with the poorest and most marginalised people in Kenya. They give grants to set up small, sustainable businesses that bring financial independence and security. That five quid you spend on a large glass of House White? They can save someone’s life with that. And the money for a pair of Air Jordans? Will take four women and their fifteen children away from a man who is raping them and into a new life with a moneymaking business for Mum and happiness for the kids.
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Theatre MAD
The Make A Difference Trust fights HIV & AIDS one stage at a time. Their UK and International grant-making strategy is based on five criteria that raise awareness, educate, and provide care and support for the most vulnerable in society. A host of fundraising events, including Bucket Collections, Late Night Cabarets, West End Eurovision, West End Bares and A West End Christmas continue to raise funds for projects both in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Acting For Others
Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities. During the COVID-19 crisis Acting for Others have raised over £1.7m to support theatre workers affected by the pandemic.
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Performances

Location

The Blurb

Written and directed by Adrian Jackson. ‘I was murdered once’. Shocking stories (and wild speculations) about the lives and deaths of homeless people. A Windrush generation boxer, a Polish migrant marked with a tattoo and a man with a bottle of gin and a television in his shopping trolley. Playfully serious and seriously playful. Last seen at the Fringe with Cathy in 2017, Cardboard Citizens return with an eye-opening collection of homeless histories. Are we mere bystanders?
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