Sanctuary – Theatre Royal Wakefield

Book, Music and Lyrics: Sarah Woods and Boff Whalley

Director: Cheryl Martin

This should have been one of the events of the year, a collaboration between Red Ladder, Wakefield Theatre Royal and Wakefield’s acclaimed performing arts college, CAPA, on an urgently relevant subject, the plight of rejected asylum seekers from countries deemed safe from the cosy viewpoint of the UK, though anything but in reality. Sarah Woods and Boff Whalley take an interesting position on this: an Iranian asylum seeker claims sanctuary in a church (a “church of sanctuary”, no less); the vicar and the young church worker who finds him support his position, but there are forces elsewhere (archdeacon, police, local mob) who think differently.

Yet somehow it makes little impact. The clothing of the assured CAPA College Chorus – almost entirely female – as a group of angels in a stained glass window, striking well orchestrated poses for the first 15 or so minutes is surely a mistake, even though later they assume human form and even (in heavy disguise) attack the asylum seeker. Woods and Whalley come up with neat songs, often with dialogue interspersed, but don’t really create any characters, simply actors who recite a set of attitudes. Then again,Sanctuaryis to tour the North and Midlands for six weeks, many of the venues churches or arts centres, and one feels that Cheryl Martin’s plain production might fit those places better.

The plot is simple. Molly discovers Alland in church, thus giving rise to three different attitudes among the characters: Molly and Fiona the vicar are thoroughly committed to the idea of sanctuary; Peter the archdeacon goes along with this so long as it doesn’t contravene the law; Uzma, third generation English and a policewoman, feels the need to defend England from the invasion of foreigners. The actual mindless anti-immigration mob is represented only in a brief attack (calmed down by a single policewoman) and a so-called vigilante in the church service that Fiona calls in the name of sanctuary.

Woods and Whalley run through most of the arguments raised by those against mass immigration (inability to get doctors’ appointments, for instance) and dismiss them effectively enough while concentrating on the dangerous hoops the immigrant has to jump through such as the weekly visit to the police station. But it only occasionally catches fire as in the violent argument between Peter and Fiona at the start of Act 3 and Uzma’s Lament, well sung by Ravneet Sehra (in Urdu, one imagines) which suggests that the anti-immigration lobby has a hinterland.

The songs are carried by the CAPA Chorus, with minimal keyboard accompaniment from Richard Kay, and capable sung contributions from the principal actors. Ingrid Bolton-Gabrielsen brings out the hopelessness of Molly’s jobless state and defends Alland passionately, if rather stridently. Aein Nasseri has little opportunity to develop the character of Alland beyond asserting that he has no wish to be here – until late on when he relates the story of how his journalism caused him to flee Iran. Emily Chattle (Fiona) and Ravneet Sehra (Uzma) present their cases with considerable clarity, but the most rounded character is Archdeacon Peter, Richard Kay smugly self-righteous about how he dealt with a homeless man in his church.

It’s to be hoped thatSanctuaryhas an impact matching its worthy aims as it tours churches and local halls, plus theatres such as Hull Truck and the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

Reviewed on 20th September 2024. Touring the North and Midlands.