Blair Gyabaah in Little Brother [Steve Gregson]

TIMBERLAKE Wertenbaker’s English translation and stage adaptation of Amets Arzallus Antia and Ibrahima Balde’s award-winning memoir is timely.

Ibrahima (Blair Gyabaah) survived an epic journey from Guinea, across the Sahara and Mediterranean, and now works and lives in Madrid.  Writer and poet Arzallus Antia (Youness Bouzinab) helped Ibrahima turn his odyssey into a best-selling book – first published in Antia’s native Basque.

Ibrahima is just 13 when his father Mamadou (Mo Sesay) dies, leaving him, “the oldest male of the family”, to support and protect his mother Fatimatu (Whitney Kehinde) and siblings.

It’s a harsh life but Ibrahima is resourceful and remains upbeat until his younger brother Alhassane (Ivan Oyik) runs away from school and disappears.

The family eventually learns he is in lawless Libya, waiting to attempt the dangerous sea crossing to Europe.

Ibrahima sets out to rescue Alhassane. Along the way, he endures hunger and thirst, is tortured at the hands of slave traders and preyed upon by ruthless people traffickers.

The drama unfolds on Natalie Johnson’s spare set. Although well acted by the five-strong cast, the opening of Stella Powell-Jones’ production is slightly stilted, and it takes time to build an emotional connection with the characters. But Ibrahima’s journey is compelling; he risks life and limb to find his brother and encounters both brutality and unexpected kindness during his search.

A poignant portrait of resilience and humanity, Little Brother gives a voice to the nameless “migrants” we so often hear about in media headlines – those whose histories and reasons for risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean are rarely heard. The message at the play’s heart is a plea for compassion and understanding.

Until June 21
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