Featured image: Contact Theatre
Miray Sidhom’s one-woman play is a painfully relevant wake-up call to the power of protest. As the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Bill – which is currently making its way through Parliament – threatens to restrict British citizens’ right to protest, Contact Theatre showcases a vital work that explores the necessity of protest through the prism of Sidhom’s Egyptian heritage.
Sidhom also shares the intrinsic relationship between bread supply and peace in Egypt. As she tells the audience that Ukraine and Russia depend on 80% of Egypt’s wheat imports, the audience leaves the theatre with a foreboding sense of dread.
Though never veering from the focus of her subject matter of Egyptian history, the power of Sidhom’s play is how it casts a universal resonance upon its audience. At times, her exploration of Egyptian protests pierced through to the hearts of the UK audience in a way that invited empathy and solidarity to people’s struggles – empowering them to value protest as a human right in their own lives.
Although The Bread We Break is a play that requires focus from its audience, the mammoth subject matter of political upheaval and Egyptian history is curbed by Miray Sidhom’s amiable stage presence. She never claims to be the omniscient narrator of her story which allows Sidhom to invite her audience more willing to join her in the exploration of her heritage. She even jokes, “I have a confession. I’ve never actually made bread before.”
The set design, although fairly minimalistic, provided a beautiful aesthetic, with cut-up Egyptian rugs and puddles of flour and grain on the floor; three sail-like white sheets pinned to the back wall, giving the whole stage the image of a boat being cast off into the new world Sidhom had created for her audience.
Miray Sidhom is a masterful storyteller. Not only in her writing and performance, but in the various ways she chooses to tell her story. Projections of film footage cast upon the back wall, live music, poetry, dance and even what appeared to be live bread-making.
Contact Young Company and Manchester Metropolitan University alumni, Miray Sidhom is further proof of the greatness that is being nurtured in the city.
Miray Sidhom: The Bread We Break has ended its performance at Contact Theatre, but check out currently What’s On.
By Ruby Henry-Dicks Featured image: Rohan Walsh On a rainy December evening, headliners Malcom play their second sell-out headline show this year; supported by bands Daisychain and Little Strange at the Deaf Institute. First up is Daisychain, the Mancunian four-piece tackling teenage angst and love one song at a time with their tracks ‘Stay’ and…
By Georgia Robinson Featured image: Adrianos Falkonakis Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens Spending time outdoors this time of year might not feel intuitive, but if you can stand the chill then a stroll around Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens is a great way to embrace the season. Between acres of woodland and an abundance of flora and…
Featured image: WendyWei.pexels With the most anticipated night of the year right around the corner, the big question is looming: where are you going to celebrate it? Whether you dread it or count down the days, are new to the Manchester nightlife scene or are a regular, we’ve got your New Year’s Eve plans sorted….
By Georgia Robinson Featured image and gallery: Ruby Sharp Get one step ahead of your 2025 aesthetic and plan your outfits for the new year with this guide to all the trends we expect to see next year. Why not jazz up your wardrobe with trending accessories or browse Depop and Vinted for a pre-loved…
Leave a reply