A man in a black coat and jeans stands lit in blue on stage with his arms outstretched.

20-21 Jun 2025

Penguin

Hamzeh Al Hussien & Amy Golding

One man’s extraordinary journey from Syria to England. “Be proud. Be who you are. Be more Penguin.”

Event Details
Date 20-21 Jun 2025
Times Various times
Location The Beacon – Bowling Park
Ages 12+

“This is the story of my life (so far). People have a lot of questions. The answer is: ‘Yes. I can do anything.’ ”

Hamzeh Al Hussien arrived in the UK five years ago as part of the Syrian Resettlement Programme. And now in this stage show, this remarkable man is taking you with him on an unforgettable journey to the places he knows best.

Penguin takes us from Hamzeh’s village in the Syrian mountains to Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan and on to his new home in Gateshead. And it takes us inside his mind, a place full of music, dancing, fantasies… and marbles. Hamzeh invites the audience to be his childhood friends, to hold up the Moon to light his way, and to join him in his dreams. Don’t miss this uplifting story of hope, courage, resilience and love.

“This is the story of a journey, my journey, and it’s all true.”

“Uplifting tale of finding self-acceptance and joy” ****  – The Stage

“an extraordinary tale, told with beautiful simplicity”Disability Arts Online

Content warnings

This show includes stories about being displaced due to war, refugee camps and ableism (disability discrimination).

Watch the trailer

Visit The Beacon in Bowling Park

The Beacon is a custom-made touring venue for Bradford 2025.

From Thursday 22 May to Sunday 22 June 2025, The Beacon will be in Bowling Park.

Plan your visit below, or get in touch with us on [email protected] for more information.

Bowling Park
Bowling Hall Rd
Bradford
BD4 7TL

Credits
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the British Council and North Shields Cultural Quarter.

Images © Photos by Ish

Access

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If you are a member of our access scheme, sign in to your Bradford 2025 account to book a wheelchair space and companion ticket.

If you have any questions or would like to join the scheme, contact our Ticketing team on [email protected]

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