Review: Kenmure Street – Oran Mor’s Verbatim Drama of Community Resistance

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Kenmure Street ran at the Oran Mor until 16 May

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Kenmure Street is a new play written by Simon Jay and directed by Nicola McCartney, about the events of May 2021.

On the dawn of Eid, the Home Office raided the home of two men in the Pollokshields area and tried to detain them for alleged immigration violations. Word quickly spread through the neighbourhood, which is one of the most multicultural in Scotland, and Glasgow showed up to protect their neighbours.

This play has had a bit of a bumpy ride due to cast illness, and this performance was partially script-in-hand, which makes the passion and sincerity the actors displayed all the more impressive. Taking on a variety of roles, including activists, police and politicians, are Neshla Caplan, Kal Sabir and Betty Valencia.

It’s an electrifying true story, but that doesn’t mean a guaranteed hit play. Thankfully, the writing is excellent, and the mix of humour and the gravity of the situation is so purely Glaswegian. There are some really great lines and the portrayal of Priti Patel as a sort of panto villain is a running joke that never tires.

Despite knowing how the story ends, there’s a tension throughout as the people of Glasgow take on the police to stop their neighbours from being taken away. The audience bring a great energy to the room and respond to every victory.

Kenmure Street is a thrilling piece of new writing, performed by a strong and versatile cast.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/scotland/article/Review-KENMURE-STREET-Oran-Mor-20260516)._