Collateral Damage is a devised performance by The Dissent Ensemble that stems from a research project at the University of Northampton that considered the efficacy of collaborative devising methods within socially-engaged and interventional theatre.
The performance is focussed in particular upon the ubiquitous and ever burgeoning prejudicial narratives surrounding refugees and more broadly othered communities. It sheds light on the underlying beliefs, stereotypes, and biases that contribute to discriminatory attitudes which contribute to the creation of hostile environments for refugees and othered communities.
Set in a fictional public meeting, the narrative unfolds as locals protest the construction of a refugee hotel.
The immersive experience blurs the line between audience and performers, as actors engage both on stage and within the audience, making the themes of exclusion and prejudice feel immediate and personal.
"It is precisely these types of projects, involving these types of people, in these types of theatres that make London what it is."
The Lancet
