Clare gives a voice to those who flee

The inspirational play, presented by Clare’s own Artemis Theatre Company, looks at the struggles and triumphs of lesbians and gay men who have fled to the UK from persecution.

What happens when they get to the country that they hope will offer refuge? Who is welcome, who is locked up, and who is deported?

Real-life stories are brought to the stage in the new verbatim production, based on interviews with LGBT asylum seekers in the UK.

It unveils the issue of those who come to the UK and often live under the radar, terrified of being forced to return to their country of origin.

Moving and powerful, the play has been welcomed as an accurate portrayal of the experiences of those who flee from anti-gay countries.

Clare is the niece of former Halifax MP Shirley Summerskill who represented the town from 1964 to 1983. She has been described by Radio 4 as ‘a lesbian Victoria Wood’ and by What’s On Magazine as ‘one of the funniest women in the country’.

‘Rights of Passage’ is at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, on Tuesday, May 17 at 7.30pm. Tel: 01484 430528.