Award-winning French playwright Marc Emmanuel Soriano’s One Who Wants To Cross (Un Qui Veut Traverser), a dramatic meditation on migrants, wherever their place of origin, receives its UK premiere at London’s Finborough Theatre from 31 January to 25 February 2023 (press nights are 2 and 3 February).
Translated by Amanda Gann and directed by Alice Hamilton, One Who Wants To Cross is a dramatic meditation on migrants, wherever their place of origin, featuring performances from Wisdom Iheoma and Ola Teniola.
“In the water now up to the waist, there are some who struggle to walk, staying upright as best they can, holding what’s left of their belongings, clinging to one another, like soldiers returning from battle.”
Recipient of multiple French awards (Centre National du Théâtre, Guérande, Influenscènes, TAPS, Panta Théâtre), One Who Wants To Cross received its world premiere at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, recorded for France Culture, and also been staged as a reading – including director Stanislas Nordey’s production at the Théâtre National de Strasbourg, starring Emmanuelle Béart.
One Who Wants To Cross has no identity
Their nationality has little meaning. They are from a country where leaving is forbidden
They could be a factory worker, a geographer, or a journalist
They could be escaping by beach, open sea, desert, or forest
They are leaving everything behind them to reach the other side and make a new start over there, risking everything – including unimaginable suffering and often death
Also in the creative team in the production presented by Clarisse Makundul Productions in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre are set and costume designer Sarah Beaton, lighting designer Jamie Platt and sound designer Daniel Balfour.
Following the 7.30pm performance on 8 February 2022, My Theatre Mates founder Terri Paddock talks to cast and creatives of One Who Wants to Cross for a special post-show Q&A.
One Who Wants To Cross receives its UK premiere at London’s Finborough Theatre from 31 January to 25 February 2023
Bios
Playwright Marc-Emmanuel Soriano began his career as an actor in Paris (Théâtre National de la Colline, Théâtre du Rond-Point, Cité Internationale, Théâtre National de Strasbourg), then continued as an author for various companies (Théâtre de l’Envol, Amin Théâtre) and an agitator and transmitter of art with his company Théâtre Suivant. His other plays include The Parliament of Forests, The Other Side and Holy Day.
Translator Amanda Gann is an actress and scholar in French and Theatre Studies. Trained in the US, France, and the UK, she collaborates with multilingual, interdisciplinary and transnational companies such as the Poets’ Theatre, Boston, with whom she originated a bilingual production of Samuel Beckett’s Not I/PasMoi (MAC, Belfast).
Director Alice Hamilton’s work includes The Memory Of Water, The Dumb Waiter, Paradise, Every Day I Make Greatness Happen (Hampstead Theatre), Blood Wedding, Echo’s End (Salisbury Playhouse), The March on Russia, German Skerries (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), While We’re Here, Visitors (Bush Theatre), Orca, Orson’s Shadow (Southwark Playhouse), Thirty Christmases (Supporting Wall at the New Diorama Theatre), Eventide (Arcola Theatre and tour), Fear Of Music (national tour for Up in Arms and Out of Joint) and At First Sight (Latitude Festival and tour).
Clarisse Makundul Productions is a new theatre production company dedicated to presenting diverse voices. It seeks to challenge beliefs, broaden minds and promote social discourse, offering a platform for storytellers and creators to collaborate and work on projects from inception of the idea to staging and production.
