london

No Ordinary City

London

Co-created by composer Kemal Yusuf and residents of The Renewal Programme in Newham.

Andy, a foreign Art student in London, has left behind the violence and insecurity of his home country. His friends are in England, and so is his future. Or so he thinks, until he receives a letter from the Home Office.

This young man, who has had the courage to begin rebuilding his life in a new country, now faces the fear and the uncertainty of once again being uprooted and set adrift.

Andy and his friends attempt to convince the Government to let him stay in Britain, and as he faces off against a bureaucracy and a system that make him feel dehumanised and unwelcome, he desperately tries to prove his worth.

This micro-opera explores how fragile and vulnerable life can be for someone who has been stripped of their sense of belonging.

Important note: There are different versions of the libretto and the sing-along videos for the London group and the Manchester / Nottingham groups. Please make sure to find the right video and libretto below.

London sing-along video

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Manchester & Nottingham sing-along video

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