(ILL)LEGAL

A performance event for and with people in danger of deportation

(ILL)LEGAL is a mini-festival created as a platform to give the migrant/refugee community in Berlin a chance to tell their own story in their own voice. The Berlin based participants were given the opportunity to present whatever they want onstage, and developed their own performances.

It is also a solidarity/charity event, as the profits will go back to the refugee community in Berlin. All participants are being paid for their work, and the remaining profits from ticket donations will go to Voix des Migrants, a Berlin-based initiative of legalised migrants for the self-organisation of migrants for migrants, and International Coalition of Undocumented and Migrants / Berlin (CISPM/Berlin), a transnational action platform for migrants, refugees and solidarity initiatives.

 

The first edition took place on April 18 & 19 2015, with the following program:

 

During 5 workshop days, people struggling with the threat of deportation will be invited to create their own performance to tell their story. This can take the form of music, poetry, dance, theater, etc. These will be presented in a kind of “Refugee Cabaret”, an open stage cabaret style mix of different performances.

Along with this, we will also present the theater show “Star Boy Productions: The illegal things people do to become legal”, a guest performance from Antwerp in which 3 African migrants invite the audience into their world of clandestine survival tactics, explaining the lengths one can and must go to in order to remain in Europe.

Also in this program, Lis:sanga Dance Company (Lis:sanga is lingalá for „community”) will present a showing of their newest piece in development, “Bolero”, in which 20 dancers age 5 – 70 from different countries and cultural backgrounds seek togetherness through their dissimilarities.

 

The next (ILL)LEGAL will take place in November 2015. More info coming soon.

 

 

 

 

 

This project is dedicated to Michael Green and Narcisse Blood († 2015) the inspirational leaders of the project MAKING TREATY 7, a ground breaking theatrical presentation featuring over 20 First Nations and non-Aboriginals performers, musicians, dancers and poets. The performance breathes life into the history and legacy of the founding event of modern southern Alberta. The project brings First Nations and non-Aboriginal artists together to share an untold and unheard story. Let all work which seeks to give a platform to unheard voices be as inspiring and affecting as theirs. http://www.makingtreaty7.com/