born without wings

Visually powerful, intimate and deeply human, Born Without Wings is a new inclusive dance theatre performance inspired by the life and story of Abdullah Tamo.

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Abdullah is a Kurdish Syrian refugee, now living in Malvern. He was born in Syria and born without legs. At birth, he was told there could be no future for him. His life has proved otherwise.

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Created with Strange Futures Theatre and movement director Rachel Freeman, the piece follows parts of Abdullah’s journey from childhood in Syria, through displacement and the Kurdistan-Iraqi refugee camps, to his arrival in England just two weeks before the country entered lockdown in 2019.

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Told through movement, storytelling and Strange Futures’ visual theatre language, Born Without Wings explores disability, migration, resilience, belonging and the meaning of home.

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But Abdullah’s story is not finished. That is part of its power.

This is not only a piece about what has happened to him. It is about what is still possible. It is a story of hope, strength and imagination, sharing the belief that even when life changes everything, you still have the ability to dream, create, move, speak, transform and become anything.

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At its heart, Born Without Wings asks what home means when it has been interrupted, lost, carried, rebuilt and reimagined.

In a time when conversations about migration, identity and belonging can feel polarised and inflammatory, this work places different bodies, cultures, homes, ethnicities and experiences together on stage. Three men move, support, challenge and carry each other through the story, creating an image of connection that feels urgent, human and hopeful.

 

Designed for theatres, festivals, arts centres and community spaces
Running time: approximately 20 minutes in current scratch form
Themes: home, migration, disability, resilience, belonging and hope

 

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development and Partners

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Born Without Wings began as a short scratch performance at Feast Festival in Malvern and is now being developed towards a fuller touring production.

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We are continuing to shape the work through public sharings, rehearsal periods and conversations with audiences, artists, venues and communities.

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We are especially interested in speaking with theatres, festivals, arts centres, refugee and migrant organisations, disability arts networks, schools, universities and community partners who may wish to support the future life of the project.

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Creative & Production Team

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Created by: Strange Futures Theatre, Abdullah Tamo and Rachel Freeman
Dramaturgy/Director: Jane George
Movement Director: Rachel Freeman
Devised and Performed by: Matthew Simmonds, William Moore and Abdullah Tamo
Lighting Technician and Designer: Pete Coxhead

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Special Thanks & Acknowledgements

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Special thanks to Abdullah Tamo for trusting us with his story, and to Rachel Freeman for helping shape the movement language of the piece.

Thank you to the audiences and partners who have supported the early development of Born Without Wings, including Feast Festival, Lichfield Day of Dance and Derby Theatre’s Departure Lounge, and Warwick Arts Centre.

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Funders

 

And last, but absolutely not least, we are hugely grateful for the generous support of Sir Barry Jackson Trust

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