Homeless Helpline: Aspiring actors work to shed light on life in a youth hostel

A group of young actors hoping to shed light on the reality of living in a homeless hostel are performing a play based on the experiences of a former Centrepoint resident.

Passin’ Thru, a partly-improvised play set in a hostel, is being performed as part of the Evolution Festival at the Lyric Hammersmith.

The play follows the story of a homeless 19-year-old moving into a young hostel, similar to those run by youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.

It was written by playwright Finton Dineen - a friend of former Centrepoint resident and journalist Poppy Noor.

Youth drama: The cast in rehearsals (Michael Clarke)

The two worked together to create a series of scenarios based on Poppy’s own experiences of being homeless as a teenager.

The cast – some of whom have also been homeless – then improvised and built on these scenarios, drawing on their own experiences.

Mr Dineen said: “During the improvisation sessions a lot of themes coming up were about challenges facing homeless people.

Former homeless: Poppy lived in a hostel as a teenager

“Since some of the young people themselves are from homeless backgrounds, it was only natural that the play would be set in a hostel.

“Poppy’s own experiences mixed with the improvisations and culminated to create the final piece.”

“It is a completely different experience from normal theatre,” Ms Noor added.

Theatre group: The play is partly-improvised (Michael Clarke)

“I am no theatre critic, but when you are watching people perform part of your life and it rings true then that is when you know they can act.

“And they are acting on a lifetime’s worth of their own experiences too.”

The piece is directed by Rich Weinman, a freelance director.

Rehearsals: The play is being performed in March

“This isn’t a piece that has tried to tell their exact stories but you can’t help but feed into it,” he said. “It is putting up a raw honesty.

“There is a whole section of society that isn’t really spoken about and the actual reality that is not known.

“And I have come across these stories over and over again so for me it was an opportunity to do something on it.”

Twenty-year-old Oshay Wint said he hopes the play will encourage the audience to consider the complications of homelessness.

“Homelessness is a very real thing that happens,” he said.

“There are so many young people that get kicked out of their home and have nowhere to go.

“It is a real stressful situation that a lot of people don’t understand.

“A lot of people hear hostel and think it’s a lot of young people hanging out and getting into fights but it’s a lot deeper than that.

“The play has got its odd comedic moments but at the same time there is some deeper stuff going on so I think the audience will come away with something on their mind.”

Changing perceptions: Former homeless person Poppy Noor

Aspiring actress Jasmine Adolphus-Edie, 25, added: “The themes of the play are love, lack of love, relationship and friendships. It just relates to real life.

“Homelessness and housing, for people under 25, are big issues. And I think this play touches on that.”

Ms Noor, who became homeless at 16 after her relationship with her parents broke down, said the theatre group is an example of how “young people in hostels are just as capable of doing anything than anyone else”.

“There are things in life that people who from disadvantage are better at,” she said.

“People do not realise the kind of experience it gives you when you have to look after yourself.”

She added: “I think the play will help the audience to understand life in a hostel - the vulnerability and the fragility. It is both beautiful and horrible.”

The Evolution Festival will be running at the Lyric Hammersmith in March.

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