Refugee Boy

Based on the novel by Benjamin Zephaniah and adapted for the stage by Lemin Sissay

Refugee Boy is a powerful and moving story based on Benjamin Zephaniah hugely acclaimed book. It tells the story of 14 year old Alem, a refugee forced to flee his family and country for London in the late 1990s, to escape civil war at home in the disputed region between Ethiopia and Eritrea. As a child of parents from both regions, Alem is in great danger from the forces of both sides, and is forced to seek safety alone in the UK.

The story follows Alem’s experiences in London in a warm-hearted tale of hope, family and identity. For Alem, the challenge is fitting in and growing up in a country very different from his own, and being there without the family he loves.

“This planet is for everyone, borders are for no one. It’s all about freedom” Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah is a much-loved and celebrated British Jamaican poet, who has featured in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers.