- Tickets: £5 - book online
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- Ages: 15+
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Details
LIVE STREAM
Date: 9th June 2020
Time: 7.30pm
Location: private youtube link
20% of your ticket purchase will go to Arts at the Old Fire Station.
Following the success of his lockdown live stream of Bravo Figaro, Mark Thomas brings his acclaimed 2018 Showtime From the Frontline to fans’ screens with a live stream followed by a live Q&A with himself and his co-stars Faisal and Alaa, on Tuesday 9th June at 7:30pm.
Please leave your questions in the chatroom as the show is on.
About the show
Thomas explains the genesis of the show here: ‘Back in 2009, I walked the length of the Israeli wall in the West Bank. I was arrested, fell down mountains and slept in the middle of an Israeli firing range, and I was prepared to follow my own stupidity as long as that route was the route of the wall.
I was persuaded to venture from this path to visit the Jenin Freedom Theatre, a theatre in a refugee camp, run by Juliano Mer Khemis, a half Palestinian, half Israeli actor. In retrospect, I ran out of boxes to tick half way through that last sentence.
Juliano was the first person to ‘get’ what I was doing. Palestinian translators and helpers usually heard that I wanted to walk the length of the wall and promptly indicated to their car. On one occasion a farmer offered to drive me to my intended destination, when I pointed out that the route I wished to follow was farmland with no roads he said, “Is OK I have tractor.”
But when I meet Juliano he said “So what are you doing here?”
“Well ‘I am walking the length off the Israeli wall talking to as many people as I can and trying to find out what is going on…”
He turned sharply and said, “Fuck. That is what we were going to do!”
He called to a colleague down the hall who stuck his head of the door and shouted, “He’s walking the length of the wall.”
“Fuck” said his colleague.
And so began a decade long relationship with a theatre that resulted in Showtime from the Frontline.
Working with Dr Sam Beale, who teaches stand-up at Middlesex Uni, I ran a series of stand-up comedy classes in Jenin. Some of our students had never performed before, some were Juliano’s students. Our aim was open up a comedy club in a refugee camp…a very conservative refugee camp surrounded by one of the most heavily armed and trigger happy armies in the world. The result….well you have to watch the show to find out. But what I am happy to tell you is that after many adventures with bureaucracy we managed to get two of our comedic comrades Faisal Abu Alhayjaa and Alaa Shehada to the UK where together we wrote and performed the show we are incredibly proud of; Showtime from The Frontline, the story of how to be yourself when everyone else wants to put you in a box!’
Parking & Access
Parking
There are a number of Blue Badge parking spaces nearby on Beaumont Street, and more on New Inn Hall Street and St Giles.
The closest car park is Gloucester Green Car Park, accessed via Gloucester Street.
If you have any questions or concerns, the City Council’s Access Officer can be reached at 01865 249811.
Getting here
We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, but we need your help. Use ecoway, our sustainable travel planner, to see the most eco-friendly options for your journey to Old Fire Station, and plan a bespoke and flexible route. ecoway is easy to use and you’ll be kept up to date with any disruption or changes to your journey plan.
Car parks in Oxford Blue Badge information Public transport in OxfordAccess
Disabled patrons are eligible for one free companion ticket with their booking. To book this, contact the ticket office: tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk or 01865 263990.
There are two entrances to the Old Fire Station: 40 George Street via the foyer, and on Gloucester Green via the shop. Both are step-free. If you are coming to a show, we ask that you use the George Street entrance, as the Gloucester Green entrance is not always open.
Events in the Theatre
There is level entry to the foyer of the Old Fire Station, and step-free access to the main Theatre (where most shows take place).
If you are a wheelchair user attending a sit-down show, space will be reserved for you. If you are attending a standing gig, please contact us (call the ticket office on 01865 263990 or e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk) and we will talk with you about your needs.
Events in the Studio
There is level entry into the foyer of the Old Fire Station, and step-free access to the Studio.
Events in the Loft
There are six steps leading up to the Loft space, with no lift. If you would like to discuss this to find out more, please get in touch.
The Gallery
There is step-free access to the Gallery – level entry through the George Street entrance, and via lift from the Gloucester Green entrance.
Facilities
Accessible toilet
There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor, accessible via platform lift. Other toilets are in the basement (accessible via lift).
Hearing assistance system
The Theatre is equipped with a hearing assistance system. If you have any questions about using it, please e-mail us at tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk or phone 01865 263980.
Assistance dogs
All types of assistance and guide dogs are welcome at the Old Fire Station. It would be great if you could let us know in advance if you will be bringing a working dog to any performances – just e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk.
Strobe lighting
We will warn visitors on the website and in the foyer of the venue if a performance is going to contain strobe lighting. If lighting affects you, and you have any concerns, please call the ticket office on 01865 263990 or e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk.
Chairs in the theatre
Our chairs are a standard dining-chair size, measuring 40cm deep by 37cm wide, with a metal frame. Some have arms, and some do not. They are all joined together at the sides, to form rows. If this is likely to pose a problem for you, please email tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk and we can discuss how to make your visit more comfortable.