A blend of testimony and flexible dance-theatre portrays the show of community solidarity from the Kenmure Street protest.
It is the morning of Eid. An immigration enforcement van drives into Pollokshields, one of Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhoods, resulting in a face-off between Glaswegian disobedience, Police Scotland and the UK Home Office. This largely peaceful demonstration, now well documented as the May 2021 Kenmure Street Protest, is transformed into an extended hour of docu-drama dance-theatre by co-producers RUPTURE and Company of Wolves, with support from Bijli Productions and Creative Scotland. Premiering in the Citizens Theatre Studio, less than 30 minutes from the original protest, the piece explores the anecdotal histories of community resistance through scintillating movement. Developed through extensive research and development with those who were at the protest, the docu-movement seeks to recreate the emotional journey of that day for the audience. It moves from the highs of fortuitous Glesga unity to the reality of living in a diverse community amid an increasingly fraught UK political climate that continues to regurgitate anti-immigration rhetoric.
Against a distorted, tea-stained backdrop of Kenmure Street, Alisa Kalyanova’s set design reflects on the ground, reminding us that this history lies on the very streets we tread nearby. The production begins with a grassroots approach, as the three performers (Umar Butt, Leticia Sánchez and Adam Tompa) casually engage the audience by asking about their day. This offers a sublime transition into the movement sequences and verbatim interviews that make up the bulk of the show. The performers’ commitment to and intentionality in their movement and delivery of verbatim accounts cannot be praised enough. Crucial voices are heard throughout, with particularly impactful moments later in the production that break away from this format, including verbatim voiceovers of Nicola Sturgeon and projections of archival photography of Mohammad Asif Aamer Anwar, which create a moving atmosphere.
Writer and lead artist Katharine Williams’ curation of the verbatim commentary must be commended for its attempt to draw together idiosyncratic details, from what people ate to broader reflections on the day, alongside the historical and political context of the protest. Whilst this underlines the authenticity of the portrayal, the underlying reality of anti-racist and anti-immigration tensions, which have only intensified since, is often circumvented in the script, which favours nostalgic rallying and anecdotal focus. Whilst some historical context is mentioned, including the anti-war protests of the 1990s and the Poll Tax protests of the 1980s, more could be said about Glasgow’s history of peaceful civil disobedience, including protests against apartheid. Whilst the documentary-dance play amplifies the voices of those involved in the Kenmure Street protest and offers them a local stage on which to revisit that memory, it misses the mark in situating the events within a more comprehensive argument about the past or present political climate.
Under the firm and dynamic direction of Ewan Downie, the production seeks to celebrate the diversity of Pollokshields, the very principle being defended during these protests. Whilst the direction is apparent and bold, at times it strays too far from its source material, opting instead for exuberantly energetic sequences, such as the movement transition to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”, which feels wholly removed from the subject matter. Subsequent song choices seem much more rooted in the diverse community and prove far more successful, appearing more thoroughly dissected and reassembled. This is particularly evident in how seamlessly the movement, voiceover and projection elements connect with the synth and contemporary Southeast Asian music. Whilst there is much promise, excitement and intentional storytelling to appreciate in this staging of inspiring modern local history through dance-theatre, it fails to reach the heartening heights of the deft, exemplary recreation it aspires to achieve and, at points, demonstrates it can deliver.
This show has now concluded its run.