14+

★★★★★

“Terrific & really thoughtful” Lyn Gardner (The Guardian)
★★★★★
“A gentle firestorm” British theatre Guide

This intimate, funny solo show uses writer & performer Joe Sellman-Leava’s experiences of mixed heritage and racism to unpick the curiosities and fears around immigration, as well as the on-going refugee crisis. Amid a cacophony of statistics and sound bites, Labels offers an honest, human story about multicultural Britain.

. A show to make you laugh and think.

Labels enjoyed a sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 and 2016, with standing ovations and sell-out shows back-to-back. He has won a Fringe First award, the Holden Street Theatres Award and a nomination for Amnesty International’s Freedom of Expression Award

Everything has a label: “black”, “white”, “friend”, “enemy”, “Katie Hopkins”, “the fridge”. As Joe puts white stickers containing such words on himself and us, he explores our need to put people in boxes. Is it simply to create order from chaos? Or to feel superior? (The Scotsman)

Sellman-Leava says: We’ve now had the pleasure of performing Labels 170 times since we started touring in 2015. Each time, without fail, people are eager to talk afterwards about their own experiences of labelling and prejudice. Audiences have commented more and more on the increasing relevance of the show – Britain voting to leave the EU, a dramatic increase in hate crimes and the rise of anti-immigration politics across the world. Worklight are determined to keep telling this story in as many places as possible.

Labels was inspired by a racism and equality workshop, led by Oscar-winning writer, actor and activist Emma Thompson, at Exeter University in 2009. It premiered in the wake of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Europe and fierce debates around migration and refugees. On reading the script, Thompson, who has spoken out against the UK’s response to the crisis, said, What a terrific piece. I love it. Simple, powerful, important and funny.
Labels won the Best Theatre at the Adelaide Fringe 2016 and the Scotsman Fringe First Award at Edinburgh Fringe 2015. It was also shortlisted for the Amnesty International’s Freedom of Expression Award.