"They get free mobiles...don't they?"
1st of May Band
Help with organising a Banner performance

"They get free mobiles...don't they?" Touring in 2007/8

In this new production, Banner Theatre sets out to bust some of the media-generated myths about refugees and asylum seekers.

This live multimedia show, combining music, song, video, film and theatre, speaks for Britain’s newest arrivals as they dodge borders, bullets and bureaucracy in their quest for safety and security from war-torn lands in Africa and the Middle East. It tells the human stories of people in the wrong place at the wrong time, and cuts through the myths, lies and prejudice surrounding the search for sanctuary in England’s green but sometimes not so pleasant land.

But "They get free mobiles . . . don’t they?" also shows how our lives here in the UK are integrally connected to those of refugees from impoverished third world countries and exposes the big business interests that profit from the exploitation of children and slave labourers, particularly in the mining and production of tantalum – a key element in our mobile phones.

"They get free mobiles . . . don’t they?" interweaves a rich tapestry of musical styles – from rock, rap and reggae to blues, folk and jazz – to highlight the real-life experiences of people caught up in the whirlwind of the twenty-first century.

Click here for a review of the production, with some more photos

If you are interested in booking "They get free mobiles . . . don’t they?", please fill out the form at the bottom of this page and a member of the Banner staff will contact you to discuss booking arrangements.

With a repertoire of over 300 songs, stories and sketches, we can provide tailor-made topical entertainment to support any trade union issue, anywhere at any time. Whether it's a social in the pub or a rally in Trafalgar Square, we can provide the entertainment to make you sing along and think.

If you are interested in booking Banner's 1st of May Band, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page and a member of the Banner staff will contact you to discuss booking arrangements.