A new musical tackling asylum seeker rights is unusual but excellent, finds Hazel Robertson
A topic seldom confronted by politicians and often misrepresented in the press, asylum seekers in the UK aren’t an immediately obvious subject matter for a musical. The genre seems too frivolous to take an in depth look at rights; how can singing and dancing highlight the severity of the conditions people can sometimes find themselves in under the current system of asylum?
Hazel Robertson find that Glasgow Girls does this surprisingly well. A musical that follows a group of girls who joined together to campaign for asylum seeker rights, it brings complicated issues to the forefront in a way that is accessible and striking. Hazel explains:
The musical format of this production really does work. The huge variety of songs, including a self-aware musical-style opening montage, powerful rapping from a Glaswegian MC and an electro number for the almost robotic UK immigration officers perfectly constructs humour, pathos and pace to the story. The musical score is also used to give us a picture of multicultural inclusion as we are treated to traditional Roma and Kurdish songs.
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Photo by Drew Farrell used with permission.