Derby-based theatre company Maison Foo is to host its second Meet Your Neighbour party with the aim of helping to “forge new friendships and greater understanding between people living in the county and those who have migrated here”.
Derby Theatre associates Maison Foo held its first event in 2018. The theatre’s artistic director and chief executive Sarah Brigham said it was a “fantastic” scheme to work on.
“It opened the door to communities we had very little contact with and just as importantly allowed our audiences to meet and greet new arrivals and share a theatre production together. The day turned our theatre foyer into a vibrant hub of activity and it genuinely felt like, as a community, we were taking real ownership over ensuring everyone feels welcome in our building.”
Maison Foo has been working closely with Nasrin Samavi and other members of Derby Refugee Advice Centre on Meet Your Neighbour.
Maison Foo’s artistic director Bethany Sheldon said, “we’re really excited that Derby Theatre is supporting us to nurture Nasrin’s artistic talent and ideas further. Our Meet Your Neighbour party will involve us working with Nasrin to take over Derby Theatre’s front-of-house meeting room and transform it into a relaxing sensory room inspired by her childhood memories of the Iranian countryside.”
Samavi added, “it’s great to have Maison Foo’s support. I couldn’t do this alone. We need to involve people more and mix. Hatred happens because people don’t know or understand each other. If you share and listen to each other, there’s no space for hating. We’re all human—it doesn't matter what religion or race. We need to do more showing and sharing of our stories to see we have no differences between each other.”
Meet Your Neighbour will take place at Derby Theatre on Saturday 13 April from 11 until 1PM.