PAST PRODUCTIONS
HANNAH AND HANNA
Having fled her own country, Hanna, 16, from Kosovo meets Hannah, 16, from Margate. Can a shared love of karaoke bring about an unlikely friendship or will the racist tensions of small town Britain prevail?
CultureClash’s debut production was a revival of John Retallack’s Hannah and Hanna, originally written in 2001 in response to the Kosovan refugee crisis. Establishing a spirit of challenge and interrogation, the production recast the lead white character as a young third-generation immigrant of Black Caribbean heritage, exploring the way in which racism and a sense of belonging has changed in our country.
CultueClash won the Guildford School of Acting ‘Mark Ralston Enterprise Award’ and secured Greenwich Theatre as a co-producer for the production.
The show previewed on 30th July 2015 at New Diorama Theatre before transferring to Assembly George Square from 6th-30th August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. The show was then invited to transfer back to London, playing for a week from 29th September-3rd October at Greenwich Theatre.
By: John Retallack
Directed by: James Haddrell
Produced by: CultureClash Theatre and Greenwich Theatre
Cast:
Hannah: Cassandra Hercules
Hanna: Serin Ibrahim
★★★★★ “60 minutes of pure action and suspense... Five stars to Greenwich for a brave choice and five stars to Culture Clash for musicalising one of the deepest wounds of our time. Beautifully told, beautifully sung” Female Arts
★★★★ “genuinely very funny... the performers, Cassandra Hercules (Hannah) and Serin Ibrahim (Hanna), are engaging, fresh... Hannah and Hanna reminds us of the importance of our shared humanity and the need for basic decency” Broadway Baby
★★★★ “very moving, often funny... so very important... should be shown in every workplace and school.” British Theatre Guide
★★★★ “wonderful... I get the feeling this isn’t all Culture Clash can do ̶ they’re one to keep an eye on for next year” Three Weeks