Monday 15th October Disposable People A Croft Creative Production By Andrew Pearson and Thom Stridd At The Boatshed Hull Marina (show runs from 15th - 20th October) (4/4) By Michelle Dee

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

His powerful words describe profit as the oxygen of slavery filled with genuine passion are used to speak directly to the audience seated inside the boat shed too, and the play and reality come crashing together once more. I realised that throughout the play there have been such moments where the drama stops momentarily, and the play and reality merge. This is memorably achieved by way of the audio visual system and an insistent message is repeating, I want a voice, I want fresh water, I want to know why I was born, and the voice becomes a mantra, desperate to be heard then acted upon.

My companion remarked that she didn't think that the play was suitable for youngsters but I would have no qualms with children over twelve seeing it. In fact, as ever, they are the ones who have the most time to make a difference. With that and the importance for longevity of the subject of contemporary slavery in mind, Thom Stridd and Andrew Pearson, with the expertise and skills of Kate Jemmison (Head of Drama Andrew Marvell School) have created Disposable People - School Project. This is an excellent and flexible six week Drama project for Year 8 pupils with extensions for years 9 and 10. It has been piloted at Andrew Marvell and later by Kelly Lowthorpe at Endeavour School. It is now available as a free download. For more info. Email thom@croft-creative.com.

I was particularly taken by the setting of the play inside a boat shed. Here you are secreted away from the comparative safety of a theatre in the town. This unusual performance space helped to create the feeling of being displaced; uncertain, indefinite, transient and alien. Emotions and feelings then mirrored and magnified by the characters in Disposable People.

Did it work? Yes, technically the rigging, the use of the screen, the sound, the music, the lighting, added dimensions both aurally, visually, and enhanced the action on stage. But did it work? This play represents an idea that every innocent in this world should be free. Free from torment, free from torture, free from incarceration, free from exploitation and free from fear. While we live in a corrupt world with power crazed politicians bent on bleeding every resource from every country, while they are supported and bank rolled by multibillion dollar businesses whose only concern is their stock value, while we live in a world where money matters more than peoples' lives, then ideals such as freedom and freewill can never thrive.

In one month will you have changed your shopping habits? Will you be enquiring as to where your goods have come from? Will you begin investigating whether your investments and savings are linked with companies connected with the slave trade? Will you lobby your local government to do something; will you petition the parliament to make it a top priority? Will you, this time next month, be even thinking about issues raised in Disposable People? And will you be shouting about this thing called contemporary slavery? YOU HAVE A VOICE - USE IT. Useful Links: www.freetheslaves.net www.antislavery.org www.antislavery.org.uk/support/donations/donation.htm www.wilberforcetrail.co.uk

For ticket information see www.disposablepeople.co.uk To sign the petition Fight For Freedom and add your support to over 15,000 others including Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd, Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Indie chart toppers The Thrills, celebrity hairdresser Mark Hill click on the link below. www.wilberforce2007.com or call 01482 300300

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