Playwright Aisha Zia: why we’re bringing a show about refugees to this year's Edinburgh Fringe

We have the opportunity to contribute to a broader conversation about the kind of society we want to build - a society where racism and hatred do not have the final say. We are proud to bring Refugee! to this festival, not just as a performance, but as a statement of defiance and hope. This is why our play belongs at the Fringe, and why we are so determined to be part of the festival this year.

The Edinburgh Fringe has long been a platform for bold, provocative works that challenge the status quo. This year, our company is bringing Refugee! a new play born out of an unwavering commitment to authenticity and a response to the urgent crises facing our world today. In an era marked by division, unrest, and displacement, Refugee! is more than just a performance - it’s a clarion call for solidarity, a demand for justice, and a reflection of the brutal realities many would prefer to overlook across the world, from the Congo to Gaza, Hong Kong to Sudan, Yemen and beyond.

The genesis of Refugee! came from a deep concern about the growing divisions within our society. After Brexit, I was shocked to learn that many black and brown, colonial migrants had voted for it. It highlighted how fragmented our communities had become, and how the narratives we’ve been fed by the media have shaped perceptions in ways that defy expectations. It became clear to me that making a play that subverted the media narrative of what and who refugees are was not just important, but vital. Refugee! aims to challenge the stereotypical portrayals of refugees as homogenous, faceless masses. Instead, we are showing that refugees are not just numbers - they are welcome individuals who want to be seen living, thriving, and not just dying.

Our play doesn’t just tell the stories of refugees; it explores the idea that we are all refugees to some degree or other. Whether through displacement, alienation, or the search for a place to belong, the experience of being uprooted is something that touches us all. We are more likely to become refugees than we are millionaires. Let’s take a minute to think about that. Theatre has the power for us to show and not just tell our audience what these experiences are. With its unique ability to foster empathy and understanding, it’s the perfect place to share our concerns. It’s a space where we can invite people to hold space with us—to think, to share, to speak. And more importantly, to show that we are much stronger together than apart. In this shared space, we find hope and solace. We find each other.

At the heart of Refugee! is a setting that serves as a potent metaphor: a once sacred burial ground, now a crime scene of our own making. In this desecrated space, four characters—each in search of belonging—sift through the debris of a nation’s soul. Among the rubble, they unearth fragments of hope and humanity, but also undeniable evidence of our government’s complicity in war crimes. The play forces us to confront these uncomfortable truths, not as distant observers, but as participants in a society that remains unresolved and ambivalent in its stance on basic human rights.

Refugee! is a collective effort of artists and community groups from Peterborough and Bournemouth. This piece of political, devised theatre is grounded in rigorous research and collaboration, drawing directly from interviews and testimonies that reveal the human cost of conflict and displacement. The narratives woven into Refugee! are not abstract; they are urgent, real, and drawn from the lived experiences of migrants, refugees, and those seeking sanctuary.

This is not merely a story about those who have been displaced; it’s a confrontation with the uncomfortable truths about who we are and what we permit in our name. Refugee! doesn’t just ask us to bear witness - it demands that we reckon with the implications of what we see. The production compels us to engage, to reflect, and to question our role in either perpetuating or challenging the status quo. In a world where the voices of the displaced and the oppressed are often silenced or distorted, Refugee! emerges as a vital, defiant voice.

However, the process of bringing this work to the stage has not been without its challenges. Amidst the recent racist disturbances eminating from those who seek to divide our society, we were evacuated from rehearsals, adding an unsettling layer of tension to the room. This volatile environment, coupled with the pastoral care we’ve been providing to our company members, in particular those experiencing displacement trauma, has made our journey even more intense. We’ve worked closely with drama therapist Wabriya King and trauma-informed producer Nada Sabet to support our cast, recognising the profound impact these experiences have on their well-being. Despite the fear and uncertainty, we refuse to be silenced. Refugee! is not just theatre; it is a call to action. It reminds us that the struggle for human rights is ongoing, unresolved, and that our silence is complicity.

Bringing Refugee! to the Edinburgh Fringe is an act of defiance against the rising tide of fear and division that seeks to silence voices like ours. The Fringe, with its tradition of amplifying diverse perspectives and fostering critical conversations, is the ideal platform for this work. It is here we can reach audiences from all walks of life, inviting them into a space where differences are acknowledged, confronted, and ultimately, transcended.

Our play is still a work in progress, but how could it be anything else in a society that is itself still under construction? Our collective conscience is still evolving, grappling with the questions of justice, humanity, and dignity that lie at the heart of Refugee! We believe that theatre has the power to shift things, to act, and it belongs to us.

By Aisha Zia

Refugee! is a work-in-progress and will be at the Paines Plough Roundabout, Summerhall on 22 and 23 August at 11.10pm and 11.45am on 25 August.