- Tonight, Stewart Lee opens the first of 7 performances
- Free online registration; ‘pay what you can’ on the door
- All proceeds, including profits on bar takings, to fund shelters for refugees in Calais
Arcola Theatre is devoting the next week to fundraising for refugees displaced in Calais.
The Crew For Calais Festival, which opens tonight and includes nightly performances until Saturday 12 March, will feature comedy and theatre from established names and exciting up-and-coming talent.
All of the proceeds will be used to build shelters in the Calais jungle, in partnership with the A Home For Winter charity.
Over a million people have risked their lives to flee their homes in the ongoing refugee crisis. Thousands of men, women and children are currently displaced in the ‘Calais jungle’. This week, some were tear gassed amid the forced destruction of their temporary shelters.
Arcola Theatre believes that this is a humanitarian crisis, and that aid and protection for those affected is required urgently.
We call on our community to assist Crew For Calais and A Home For Winter, through donations at the festival or online now.
After core costs, and in addition to all on-the-door donations, Arcola will donate our bar takings to support this vital cause.
We are grateful to Crew for Calais, and all of the performers whose voluntary participation has made this festival possible:
Bec Hill, Chris Coltrane, Chris Goode, Chris Talbot, Comedy Bitch, Daphne, Eleanor Morton, Emma Sidi, Fin Taylor, Goose, Grainne Maguire, Ivo Graham, Jack Barry, Josiah Norris, Lolly Adefope, Lou Sanders, Max And Ivan, Multiverse Improv, Nat Tapley, Natasha Smith, Phil Wang, Pierre Novellie, Princes Of Main, Princes Of Main, Raph Shirley, Rory O’Keeffe, Sheeps, Shelf, Sian Docksey, Stewart Lee, Tiernan Douieb, Very Serious People, Will Seaward.
Full festival listings, and advance ticket registration, is available at arcolatheatre.com/crewforcalais.
Notes for Editors
Arcola Theatre is one of London’s leading off-West End theatres. Locally engaged and internationally minded, Arcola stages a diverse programme of plays, operas and musicals. World-class productions from major artists appear alongside cutting-edge work from the most exciting emerging companies. Arcola delivers one of London’s most extensive community engagement programmes, creating over 5000 opportunities every year. By providing research and development space to diverse artists, Arcola champions theatre that’s more engaging and representative. Its pioneering environmental initiatives are internationally renowned, and aim to make Arcola the world’s first carbon-neutral theatre.
Crew For Calais is a group of companies and individuals in the theatre, event and production industries, building flat pack shelters for the refugee camp at Calais.
A Home For Winter is a humanitarian organisation providing shelter for displaced and vulnerable people.