Cross The Line
By Azuka Oforka. Directed by Philip Morris.Cross the Line will tour to primary schools, youth clubs and pupil referral units within the Hammersmith and Fulham Borough across summer 2025.
Cross The Line is a brand new touring theatre intervention production based on county lines within West London.
This is a collaboration project between the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s (GVEU) Gangs Violence Exploitation Unit. The GVEU was formed in 2020, due to the rise in gang activity and its impact on families. The GVEU is a non-statutory service made up of council professionals and H&F Council-funded police officers. It seeks to identify young people at risk of becoming involved in gang activity or exploitation and provide effective early-intervention strategies to vulnerable children, young people and their families. Both the GVEU and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre have worked with the young people of H&F to ensure their voices are heard in this production.
The production celebrates the 60th anniversary of TIE (Theatre in Education) and uses the power of theatre and storytelling to develop understanding, empathy and knowledge for young people across the borough around gang culture and exploitation. Cross The Line is a new educational intervention for young people to support the reduction of future crime within the borough. The production will tour to primary schools, youth clubs and pupil referral units within the Hammersmith and Fulham Borough across summer 2025.
Cllr Rebecca Harvey, Hammersmith and Fulham Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety, said: “Our pioneering Gangs Unit has teamed up with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre as part of our mission to help protect vulnerable local young people. This fantastic opportunity helps them lead a life away from crime and offers creative alternatives to build positively on young people’s talents.”