Archives: Plays

Title: Familiar

Author: Gurira, Danai

Year: 2016

Geography: Africa > Eastern Africa > Zimbabwe

Synopsis: Familiar focuses on the story of two families coming together. Tendi, the child of two Zimbabwean immigrants, Donald and Marvelous, is getting married to an American man Chris. Tendi’s family is hosting Chris’ family for a practice dinner before the wedding. But unbeknownst to them Tendi, had invited Marvelous’ sister, to perform roora, a bride price ceremony. This results in tension and conflict for the family, and Marvelous who wanted nothing to do with Zimbabwe. This play may not directly involve the act of migration but deals with direct results of migration. Wanting to assimilate to a new culture and forgot the one you came from. A change in identity and questions of belonging.

Publication: Off-Broadway, March 3
Title: The Noose Translated by Asselin Charles

Author: Franketienne

Year: 1978

Geography: North America > Caribbean > Haiti

Synopsis: The Noose follows the tale of two Haitian migrants who are rooming together in an apartment in New York City in the 1980s. One, a middle-class Haitian living in exile, and the other an immigrant pursuing opportunity. The Noose deals with the idea of living in isolation and the oppression that comes with it, and address issues of struggling to adapt and thrive in a new place.

Publication: Next Stage Festival Oct 17-26 2024, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Title: Sizwe Banzi Is Dead

Author: Fugard, Athol; Kani, John; Ntshona, Winston

Year: 1972

Geography: Africa > Southern Africa > South Africa

Synopsis: Sizwe is dead recounts the tale of the titular character Sizwe as he asks a photographer to take a photo of him to send to his wife. Sizwe introduces himself to the photographer as Styles and recounts the tale of how he came to this identity in the letter he addressed to his wife. This play deals with the strict issues of apartheid South Africa, and the restrictions on internal migration, and biopolitical control the government had on its people.

Publication: Space Theatre, Cape Town South Africa, 1972
Title: A Mirage for a Dream

Author: Duruaku, Toni

Year: 2016

Geography: Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria

Synopsis: A Mirage for A Dream, explores the reason why young Nigerians choose to follow the path of migration. Chimdi, who, is tired of his slow progress decides to migrate to Europe for greener pastures and an opportunity to gain the wealth he dreamed of in Nigeria. However, he is unable to secure the proper documents to leave and chooses to take a seedier path travelling through the Sahara deserts. The play explores not only the reasons but the challenges Nigerian youth face, when trying to find better for themselves. Whether it be lack of support from the government, hardship at home or the greed of those offering illegal services. It is an exploration of the realities of migration in Nigeria.

Publication: Cherry Bren Publishing Ltd., 2016
Title: Migraaaants

Author: Visniec, Matei

Year: 2024

Geography: Europe > Western Europe > France

Synopsis: Migraaants is an immersive play that tells multiple intertwining narratives of migration and the politics around it. The first is off the Boss who interacts with the audience. Then there is the tale of a Balkan couple who are unrolling wire fence on the border. Then there is the president a political figure who practices his speech, fumbling his way through the discourse of migration. And the fourth Elihu, who is peppered by a godlike figure, convincing him that he can live with one of each of his limbs and organs. These and more stories are interspersed together creating the narrative of Migraaants, as it explores the experiences of the migrants that inspired the show.

Publication: Theatre Passe Muraille, January 13-28th.
Title: Before the Millenium

Author: Khan, Karim

Year: 2025

Geography: Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom

Synopsis: It is the turn of the millenium, the last few days of 1999. Two Pakistani migrants Zoya and Iqra, work in Woolworth’s Oxford Cowley branch. The two are at their Christmas staff party, prepping and planning for the new year reminiscing on the past years and hoping for the future. When they meet Faiza, a new girl who happens to know a lot more about them than they think. This plays discusses themes of friendship, homesickness and what it means to migrate to a new country, and all the trials and challenges that come with that experience.

Publication: The Oldfire Station, Oxford. December 1st-21st 2025.
Title: Ostan

Author: Pezhman, Arzhang

Year: 2024

Geography: Asia > Southern Asia > Iran

Synopsis: Rebin is an Iraqi-Kurd who had escaped to England almost a decade ago. However despite his long stay in the English capital he is still waiting for the immigration system to grant him his indefinite leave to remain. Rebin is thus stuck in a perpetual cycle of work and coping through video games. Eventually a new co-worker arrives, and things change at his carwash, and through the turn of events the story explores the themes of migration, and immigration, and the darker side of what it is like to be at the mercy of the bureaucracy.

Publication: Park Theatre September 2024.
Title: The Wind coming Over The Sea

Author: Donoghue, Emma

Year: 2025

Geography: Europe > Northern Europe > Ireland

Synopsis: Henry and Jane are struggling to business owners in famine-ravaged Ireland. As means for a better life they decided to leave their old life behind and move towards the future in Canada. Henry heads there first while Jane, stays to take care of the children communicating through letters over year. Until finally Jane can be reunited with Henry in the new world. This new piece of Irish – Canadian musical theatre delves deep into the promise and perils of emigrating for a better future.

Publication: Blyth Festival Jun 26- Oct 5 2025.
Title: 14

Author: José Casas

Year: 2003

Geography: Americas > Northern America > United States of America

Synopsis: The play is based on the true events that occurred in the Arizona desert in May of 2001 where 14 people died of dehydration after a group of 30 were abandoned by a smuggler in their attempts to cross the border. The real-life interviews of Americans and Mexicans who live in these border towns have been collected and made into a series of monologues from a wide array of characters. The play acts as a mosaic of reactions and feelings reeling from the major loss of life, from devastation, to blame, to indifference. The words of the people come together to question what humanity means in relation to immigration. The collective of people come together to communicate a human approach to the events the splayed open the American notion of immigration at the U.S. Mexico Border.

Publication: Dramatic Publishing 2018 Published edition: Dramatic Publishing
Title: Lunatic 19S

Author: Tegan W McLeod

Year: 2020

Geography: Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom

Synopsis: Gracie is an undocumented Chicana worker who has lived in the United States in Kentucky for 23 years, recovering from a car crash in a hospital bed. In the hospital bed an immigration officer, Alec, has tracked down her location, and she must deal with impending deportation while struggling to recover from the injuries from the car crash. She goes on a surrealist journey bouncing between the borders of jailer and prisoner, mind and body, and home and destination. Alec, also Mexican-American, must drive Gracie, handcuffed, across the border to Mexico. Along their journey Gracie also travels through time and examines her life from crossing the border the first time and the struggles she dealt with while living in America.

Publication: Broadway Play Publishing Inc. 2025 Published edition: Broadway Play Publishing Inc.