Based on the company's lived experiences of going through the naturalisation process, This is What Dreams Are Made Of (A declassified British survival guide) makes fun of bureaucratic systems and their ability to suck all the joy out of living in this country.
Following two young people from Zimbabwe and Hungary - an unlikely pairing of cultural references - it explores a diverse and non-monolithic experience of immigration. It's playful and punches up, by using clowning, contemporary theatre forms, and queering of cultural mythology to empower those often silenced into ‘case workers’ notes by the home office. The show is joyful and direct, putting the audience right beside the person going through the naturalisation process, not as a distant headline but as an active participant.
Supported by the Arcola Theatre.
Tobi King Bakare and this theatre deserve a shout-out for such a young, diverse audience. There is so much talk about audiences being full of over 60s and why, why can’t theatres get the crowds in to reflect society in general? Well, I’m happy to say that on a rainy Thursday evening, the theatre was completely full.
Caiti Grove on Before I Go in CPT's Spring 2023 season London Theatre Reviews
