Pilot brings Australian refugee story to UK

Pilot Theatre is based in York in the UK, but for its latest project has collaborated with an Australian playwright on an adaptation of an Australian novel. The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon has received award nominations for both the Carnegie and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for a story about a young refugee born in an Australian permanent detention centre. The adaptation has been written by S Shakthidharan and will be directed by Pilot’s Artistic Director, Esther Richardson. Esther and Shakthi spoke to BTG Editor David Chadderton about the process of adapting the novel from opposite sides of the world, how refugees are treated in Australia and the UK and creating work both for and in collaboration with young audiences. The Bone Sparrow from Pilot Theatre will open at York Theatre Royal on 25 February 2022 then tour to Theatre Royal Bury St Edmonds, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Mercury Theatre Colchester before ending at Theatre Peckham in April.