One of the projects that is currently close to my heart was conceived a few years ago. I embarked on a journey to produce a 10-part series of artistic productions under the theme “The War You Don’t See”, looking at how global conflicts and (forced) migration impact and/or affect children’s lives. So far, 5 productions have been produced or under production:

1. The Orphan Of Gaza (2015), which looked at how children make sense of living through a catastrophic bombardment.
2. The Dreamcatcher (2016), which was developed as part of an international collaboration in partnership with Épaulé-Jeté. It looked at how refugee children are integrated into the French schools, especially the playground.
3. If I Could Fly (2017), which was developed as part of a residency with Arad Goch, a Welsh theatre, looked at how children (and their families) are resettled into the community of Aberystwyth.
4. Neighbouring Strangers (2018), which was developed in Vienna where I was invited by The Federal Chancellery of Austria, in cooperation with KulturKontakt Austria. It explored how one group of refugees (Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Vienna) fled German holocaust but have now created another group of refugees (Palestinians fleeing Israeli-occupied Gaza).
5. An Outsider On the Inside, An Insider On The Outside (2019), which was developed as a result of a partnership between Villa Waldberta and Schauburg Theatre. They invited me to take up a residency in the city of Munich, where I looked at the precarious identities of Afro-Germans and their place and sense of belonging in the contemporary German society.
6. I am also currently conceptualising the sixth installment of the project titled, The Border Game, which is a game that animates the borders that divide Africa, making it possible for players to explore and experience the different ways travel and movement is restricted or limited for Africans on their own continent.

If you want to share thoughts with me on these projects or propose a potential collaboration (related to this or not), I welcome a conversation wherever you might be. I think we might have established that I love talking to other theatremakers, writers, directors, etc.

Yours in story,
Eliot Moleba