As Axl Rose once said: “Welcome to the Jungle”, the newest production piece from Umar Butt, as the show heads to ARC in Stockton later this month.
Umar Butt is a working-class writer, director, actor and theatre maker with an in-depth understanding of culture.
Having been born in Pakistan, brought up in Glasgow and now residing in the North East, Butt has seen his fair share of different cultures, people, and life stories. As a result of his experiences and upbringing, Butt’s work and productions tend to primarily focus on socially-engaged themes and stories, whilst also helping to develop working opportunities for people of colour thanks to his ever-developing creative platform.
His newest piece, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, follows along with these themes as it delves into the world of immigration and also substance abuse in both the North East and beyond.
The piece is an epic and intense personal tale of how two strangers come to meet one another in the middle of the night on an empty bridge – and their worlds collide.
We are introduced to Tamanna who was placed in grave danger at her family home in Pakistan so she fled and travelled illegally across continents, during which she spent time in the Calais jungle and somehow ended up that night on that bridge.
We also meet Charlie who has been seeking her own refuge in a nightclub. She spends her time drinking and dancing the night away to escape the weight on her shoulders of caring for her terminally ill mum.
As Charlie eventually emerges from the club and makes her way into the cool night air, she sees a figure standing on a nearby bridge and suddenly finds herself compelled to run towards them.
At such pivotal moments in both these strangers’ lives, they find themselves and their stories intertwined – but will they be able to accept each other, share their own truths with one another, and will they know whether their meeting was by chance or fate?
As we follow the stranger’s stories, they gain an insight into the issues of identity, migration, belonging, family and community through music, dance and fun. It will leave audiences with a newfound appreciation for celebrating our differences and improving connections with those around us, all thanks to the steadfast heart and humanity of Umar Butt and his production’s participants.
Tickets are available on a Pay What You Decide basis. For further information, please head to arconline.co.uk.
