Shabnam Baqhiri (born 1996) studies Writing for Performance at the Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU). She wrote the autobiographical text Kankerthee, which she is developing through this summer in residency with Theatre Group Aluin.

Shabnam and Theatre Group Alum meet as part of her directorial internship at the show I say sorry anyway. Alum believes it is important to give young people with an interest in text theatre the opportunity to develop as autonomous creators. Being able to create alongside your writing can be a great added value. This residency gives Shabnam the opportunity to explore this on the floor with actors Dennis Coenen, Isis Cabolet & Simone Peters and under the guidance of Aluin actress and director Audrey Bolder. 

Cancer Tea is a performance about three generations of Afghans living alongside each other. Daughter, mother and grandfather clash when it comes to culture, faith and freedom. What is freedom when you live in a country where war is the reality every day? How much is your family worth to you if all you do is antagonise each other? Family sticks together. Unconditional connection. Together out together tea. 

Follow the three generations in their search for themselves and their attempt at a search for the other in a setting that may be all destroyed but where freedom is the highest aspiration. 

We move from the past to the future. Because in the future, there will be peace. Or will there not? The family is constantly faced with reality and cannot ignore the fact that their lives will never be the same. That they are scarred is a fact. Whether they can face that is the next question. 

Afghanistan has a rich culture and the city of Herat where they come from has Persian influences. Herat is the city where Cancer tea begins to end in the Netherlands. Where, according to the new generation, there is freedom. But is it?

Facts at a glance
18 August | 8pm
20 August | 15:00
20 August | 8pm (premiere) 
21 August | 15:00 

Credits
Text & direction: Shabnam Baqhiri
Guidance: Audrey Bolder
Game: Dennis Coenen, Isis Cabolet & Simone Peters
Image: Armando Branco
Producer: Theatre group Alum

Tickets are available from €10.00 at https://villaconcordia.nl/#agenda