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A production image. A man sits in a living room set and gestures dramatically to the right.
An ensemble cast. A group of people wearing bright clothing standing together. One person is holding a suitcase.

Sharing stories of migration

At the Citizens Theatre, we have a long and rich history in sharing stories of migration and the struggle for refugee justice. Our location in the Gorbals has been host to regular waves of immigrants who have settled in the community dating back to the 19th century. It continues to be one of the most diverse neighbourhoods of Glasgow’s south side. It’s important to us that all our community projects always work hard to welcome displaced people.

Over the years we’ve regularly partnered with a range of organisations working in the asylum system including Scottish Refugee Council, Maryhill Integration Network, and Bridging the Gap. Together, we’ve run workshops and projects where participants can explore the issues that impact their lives and tell the stories that matter to them. Interactions can vary in scale from taking party in a fully staged production to simply sharing a meal and having fun together.

Read more about just a few of these projects here:

Here We Stay

In 2012 we worked with the Scottish Refugee Council on Here We Stay – a celebration of life, community and music. The performance was designed as a curtain raiser for Glasgow Girls, a musical based on the true story of seven teenagers from Drumchapel Highschool and their fight to protect their school friend from deportation, inspiring a whole community to unite behind its residents.

Here We Stay was performed by a cross-generational cast of asylum seekers, refugees and local Glaswegians. It showcased art forms inspired by a range of backgrounds and cultures including Zulu clicking, rap, Kurdish love songs and live music from the Scottish harp and Iranian tar.

The show received a four-star review in The Scotsman.

A production photo of Here We Stay, our community production celebrating the rich and diverse life stories of asylum-seekers, refugees and local residents in Glasgow.

And if so many of the cast are now willing to call Glasgow their home, it’s partly because – thanks to Neil Packham and Elly Goodman, and their outstanding Citizens Community team – they have found a space where they can meet other Glasgow citizens in this rich human choir; and begin to share their music, along with all the dreams it contains.

Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman

4 star rating

Adam Kashmiry performing in Here We Stay in the Citz Circle Studio. He has short brown hair and is wearing a Guns N' Roses band t-shirt.

Our Artistic Director, Dominic Hill, will never forget watching the show in the Circle Studio:

“Hearing the stories and songs of refugees seeking a new life in Glasgow was profoundly moving – culminating in the story of Adam Kashmiry, who for the first time stood up and told his story of his flight from Egypt to the Gorbals. An astonishing event.”

Adam’s story went on to be adapted into a play in its own right by Frances Poet. Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017, the show toured with National Theatre of Scotland.

On Common Ground

On Common Ground was a major participatory event with Debajehmujig Storytellers, an indigenous theatre group based in Ontario, Canada, as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme. Performed outdoors in the Gorbals Rose Garden, it involved an ensemble of over 100 non-professional actors, singers, musicians and a troupe of volunteers.

The plot was devised with the group of participants and focused on the feeling of being displaced. The project was awarded the Spirit of Culture Award by Glasgow Life.

A large group of people walking across South Portland Street suspension bridge in Glasgow.

Browse images from the event
First Nation storytellers from Manitoulin Island
A First Nation storyteller standing outside playing a percussion instrument.
A group of four performers at an outside event.
A group of performers standing outside.
Performers holding large puppets
An outdoor event. A First Nation storyteller is handing a football to a young boy.
Performers in a large-scale outdoor event. They are wearing old fashioned clothing and rolling a barrel.
A group of young performers at an outdoor event
Performers at an outdoor event. First Nation storytellers from Manitoulin Island are sitting on the ground with two young people.
A group of young performers at an outdoor event. They are running and smiling. One person is being carried on another's back.
A group of performers at an outdoor event. They are wearing old fashioned clothing and holding cleaning products like brooms, mops and wash baskets.
An outdoor performance. Two women in costume are dancing arm in arm.

Come Hell or High Water

In 2018, our community production Come Hell or High Water focused on people’s hopes and fears for a future after Brexit. With a diverse cast of 25, many of whom had lived experience of the asylum system, it drew on a series of workshops, discussions, and interviews that took place over three months. During this time cast members also interviewed their friends and family about what it means to be British, about Brexit and about what it means to be living in Glasgow – whether you are a refugee that has recently moved to the city or you have lived here all your life.

Composer Finn Anderson created a live score of original music and songs for the production. He reflected on the process:

I think this production is special because there is room for everybody and all their different opinions. I feel like the atmosphere we’ve created in the rehearsal room, where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities feel their voice is valid, is something that should be found in more theatre foyers and audiences around the country,

Fly With Me

Developed by Good Chance Theatre, Fly With Me was a multi-city kite-flying festival remembering one year on since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.

With more than 16 cities and towns across the UK and Europe taking part, the Citz invited Glaswegians to join this epic moment of solidarity. The event called for equal and fair treatment of all people seeking safety.

In the run up to the event the Citizens Theatre Participate team worked with local groups including Standing Tall Arts, Youth Community Support Agency and The Barn Youth and Community Centre to learn about and make​ Afghan​ kites. It was special to come together to remember and celebrate Afghan culture through the simple joy of kite-flying.

(We had previously collaborated with Good Chance Theatre when Little Amal visited Glasgow for COP26 – read more about this climate justice arts project here.)

People flying kites in a park
Two people standing at a table serving hot drinks and cooked snacks.
A group of adults and children standing outside at Glasgow Green. They are holding home made kites and the national flag of Afghanistan.

Big community drama drop-in

Refugee Festival Scotland takes place every year in the run up to World Refugee Day. For the past two years, we’ve been delighted to be part of the programme, running taster sessions for the Community Collective – our drop-in group for adults who love theatre.

Both years we have invited a guest artist to lead the session alongside Elly Goodman and Neil Packham.

A group of four adults. One is standing up holding a large sheet of white paper with a drawing. The other three are sitting.
A man is kneeling on the ground, talking to four people sitting on chairs. They are leaning forward and listening.

In 2023, poet and performer Tawona Sithole ran a workshop around the theme of hope. There was a brilliant attendance with 55 people taking part and many returning as regular Community Collective members.

The following year, theatre-maker and human rights activist Pinar Aksu led a session exploring the theme of not being heard. Speaking about the day, she said: “It was great to witness how everyone worked together with care, compassion and creativity.”

We’re looking forward to being part of the programme again next year.