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Nowhere
Fuel
Information
Times: 2pm, 7:30pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (Recommended Price £14)*
*all orders will be subject to a transaction fee of £2
Running Time: 90 mins (no interval)*
*subject to change as the show is still in development
Age Recommendation: 14+
This event takes place in person in our Council Chamber
Written and performed by Khalid Abdalla
Directed by Omar Elerian
Produced by Fuel
“Welcome to Nowhere. I’m going to share with you how I got here…
And what ‘here’ actually means to me”
In this intricate and playful solo show, inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian revolution of 2011, and his experience of the counter-revolution that followed, actor and activist Khalid Abdalla (United 93, The Kite Runner, The Crown) takes us on a surprising journey into his own history, set against a cartography of seismic world events.
From the histories of colonialism and decolonisation; friendship and loss; protests and uprising against regimes across the world; to the violence in Gaza, Khalid brings together the personal and the political in an act of anti-biography that asks how we got here and how we find agency amidst the mazes of history.
‘The production, from the director Omar Elerian, is beautifully atmospheric, propulsive and often a sensory feat’ The New York Times on Misty
‘One of the most exciting and indispensable producing outfits working in British theatre today’ The Guardian on Fuel
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Post-Show Talks
Nowhere seeks to gently push closed doors and reveal the hidden spaces behind them, inviting the audience to sit and explore together as the narration unfolds.
These accompanying post show events aim to extend that feeling of openness, creating a safe space for us to gather even after the performance ends. Here, we can linger a bit longer in these newly opened spaces and engage in meaningful conversations.
These Conversations will feature hosted panels curated by the lead artist, Khalid Abdalla, in collaboration with the Palestinian Festival of Literature. Guests, hosts and more details for each event will be announced at a later date.
Thurs 10 Oct:
The Space of Confinement
“When nowhere is safe for some people, their nowhere exists for me too”
An exploration of confinement as a tool of repression against government critics, starting from the lived experience of “prisoners of conscience” in Egypt and in the Arab world.
Thurs 17 Oct:
The Space of Solidarity
“Where are the other futures?”
Starting from the Palestinian experience, an exploration of how meaningful solidarity can be enacted, from social media to decolonisation practices.
Credits
Commissioned and produced by Fuel. Funded by Arts Council England and CVC. Supported by Battersea Arts Centre.
Writer & Performer Khalid Abdalla
Director Omar Elerian
Set & Costume Design Ti Green
Lighting Design Jackie Shemesh
Sound Design Panos Chountoulidis
Video Design Sarah Readman
Choreographer Omar Rajeh
Dramaturgy Ruth Little
Writing Mentor Chris Thorpe
Press Representative Bread & Butter PR
Photography Manuel Vason
Production Manager Milorad Zakula
Company Stage Manager Nikita Bala
Biographies
Khalid Abdalla
Khalid Abdalla is an actor, producer, writer and filmmaker. Nowhere is his first play. He is known most notably for his performances in The Crown as Dodi Fayed, Marc Forster’s The Kite Runner, and in the Paul Greengrass features United 93 and Green Zone. He produced and starred in the Egyptian feature In the Last Days of the City, directed by Tamer El Said, and in Tala Hadid’s The Narrow Frame of Midnight, and appears in Jehane Noujaim’s Oscar nominated documentary about the 2011 Egyptian revolution The Square. He has recently completed filming on his next role in a remake of The Day of the Jackal; and is currently in rehearsals for Mnemonic with Theatre de Complicité at the National Theatre. Khalid is a founding member of three cultural initiatives in Cairo – Cimatheque, Zero Production and Mosireen. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Queens’ College, Cambridge. Brought up in the UK to Egyptian parents, Cairo and London are his two cities.
Omar Elerian
Omar Elerian is a freelance director, dramaturg, and theatre-maker. Italian of Palestinian descent, Elerian trained in Italy and then graduated from Lecoq International Theatre School in Paris in 2005. He was the resident associate director at London’s Bush Theatre from 2012 to 2019 where he commissioned and directed some of the theatre’s most successful shows. His directing credits include the smash-hit Misty by Arinzé Kene (Bush Theatre and West End), NASSIM by Nassim Soleimanpour (Bush Theatre, Traverse Theatre, and world tour), Going Through by Estelle Savasta, and Islands by Caroline Horton. His most recent directing credits include The Return of Danton and The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner, both by Syrian playwright Mudar Alhaggi, (Munich Kammerspiele, Schauspiel Leipzig, Theatre an der Ruhr – Germany); The Chairs by Eugene Ionesco (Almeida Theatre); Two Palestinians Go Dogging by Sami Ibrahim (Royal Court) and As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company).
Fuel
Fuel leads the field in independent producing in the UK’s live performance sector, working with brilliant artists to explore urgent questions, to shine light on how we relate to each other and the world around us, and to tell untold stories by under-represented voices. From theatres to car parks, from schools to public spaces, Fuel produces high quality new theatre that reaches diverse audiences across the UK and internationally. Fuel collaborates with outstanding theatre makers with fresh perspectives and approaches who produce shows, performances or experiences which have direct and playful relationships with their audiences. Fuel is celebrated for its pioneering producing model that develops innovative ideas through attentive collaboration, a spirit of curiosity, and an emphasis on trust. Fuel has developed a reputation for spirited and surprising new theatre, deep relationships with a wide range of artists, and passionate commitment to inclusion and care for young and diverse audiences.
Fuel was founded in 2004 and is led by Kate McGrath. Since its story began, Fuel has produced shows, festivals, films, installations, podcasts, apps and books. In doing so, Fuel has supported the artistic development of over 120 lead artists or companies and reached more than 1.5 million people, live and digitally, hosted over a hundred internships and been recognised with awards for its work. Fuel is currently working with artists and companies including Will Adamsdale, Travis Alabanza, Common Wealth, Inua Ellams, Alan Lane, Hannah Lavery, Racheal Ofori, Toby Olié, Keisha Thompson, Uninvited Guests and Melanie Wilson. Fuel is supported by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation, The Leche Trust, The Garrick Trust, The Backstage Trust, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and The John Ellerman Foundation.
Access
PRE EVENT INFORMATION
This event takes place in person in our Council Chamber. This space is on the first floor, with step-free access via a lift.
If you have booked a ticket you will receive an email from us before your performance detailing important information about your visit.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT/COMPANION TICKETS
If you require the assistance of a friend or helper to attend, we can make a free ticket available for your companion. You can book access companion tickets online or contact the Box Office to book by emailing access@bac.org.uk.
To book a free access companion online:
- log in to your account here
- go to ‘Other preferences’ and tick ‘I require a personal assistant/companion’.
- Choose the performance, date and seats you would like and if you add at least 2 tickets to your basket, then one of these will automatically become free.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
BSL Interpreted Performance: Thursday 10 October. Interpreted by Ali Gordan.
Content
- Haze
- Flashing lights
- Loud music
- Distressing scenes
Please note that content is subject to change as the show is still in development
All performances will be Relaxed. We invite you to make yourself comfortable and move around if you need to and if you need to leave the performance at any point you will be allowed to return to the space when you feel ready.
We believe in making our shows accessible to as many people as possible.
We offer tickets on a Pay What You Can basis for the majority of performances throughout the year. Tickets usually start at £8, and we have recommended pricing to help you to choose a price that works for you.
We know that ticket price is a huge barrier for some, and the Pay What You Can model offers people who can afford to pay the recommended price or more the chance to support others who can’t.
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