A Bench on the Road

This play, based on real women’s experience of immigration through the lens of Scottish-Italian migration from 1850 t0 1950, is a rich piece of musical and visual storytelling.

A Bench on the Road tells stories of Scottish and Italian women divided, yet united, in battle for identity and belonging. Bringing to life stories of our mothers, unlocking the past and asking pertinent questions about our future.

Thursday 6th October, Doors 6.30pm, Show 7pm to 8.30pm, £10/£6, 12+

A Bench on the Road strikes at the heart of the public debate around immigration and changing notions of identity in Europe. Spanning a century of unprecedented and radical change, the diverse experiences of women from both cultures meet and intertwine. The stories are expressed through Kantoresque visual images, movement, traditional Scottish and Italian songs and an innovative and experimental merging of language and dialect.

A major focus of the play is the voice of the Scottish women responding to the changes and the challenges that mass immigration brings. The result is a dialogue between acceptance and rejection, confrontation and collaboration. Based on hundreds of interviews collected by various academics over thirty years, this play brings to life the stories of our mothers, unlocking the past and asking pertinent questions about our future.

Whilst coming from a particular bi-cultural perspective, the piece strikes at the heart of the public debate around immigration and changing notions of identity in Europe, particularly in the face of the refugee crisis and the continuous flow of immigration which is forcing Europe to re-define its identity and its purpose socially, politically and ethically.

The play is constructed through a sequence of historical frames, with each marking the passing of time and responding to a particular event that happened between 1850 and 1950: The First Arrival, The Great War, The Rise of Fascism, Second World War, ‘Enemy Aliens’, the Arandora Star tragedy and others.

The piece is written and directed by Laura Pasetti, artistic director of Charioteer Theatre. Charioteer Theatre is an Edinburgh-based international theatre company which aims to build cross-cultural bridges and provide unique theatrical experiences to audiences in Scotland and internationally.

Booking

This event is open to all, 12+, and we prefer for tickets to be booked in advance whenever possible. This event costs £10 full price. Select the number of tickets you want to book below, or come in to the Library to book. We offer subsidised places at £6 for students, people on a low income, unemployed or those in receipt of benefit and Friends of GWL. If you are eligible for a subsidised place select the subsidised ticket below, or come in to the Library to book.

If you have booked a place and are no longer able to attend please let us know so that we can make your place available to someone else.