The Perfect Immigrant is the recipient of two Fringe Festival Award Nominations: Bewley’s Café Theatre ‘Little Gem’ Award & Fishamble New Writing Award.

What else does a young Black man have to say if it isn’t about racism?

Too busy trying to be an adult, leaving Nigeria and settling in Ireland, he has to find a way to hold on to both worlds.

With a story woven through prose and poetry, you will shift in your seat as you are teased with the discomfort of this immigrant settling into a new land. Take sides as loyalty to home is torn by the promise of the new.

But the real question is, where do you buy a hot pepper in Lucan?

Rising talent Samuel Yakura brings his acclaimed comedy show The Perfect Immigrant to Backstage this November.

Writer & Performer: Samuel Yakura
Director: Katie O’Halloran
Production Manager: Emily Long
Image: Emmanuel Okoye

A word from our Young Curators:

When we first tried on our hats as Young Curators with the venue in 2019, neither of us could have written the three years that lay before us. After just a few months of planning and discussion, coronavirus took hold and theatre was halted, forcing us to re-imagine an art form we were only growing to understand. And yet, with Backstage’s constant support and (often generous) belief in us, we delivered the venue’s first virtual festival in June 2020, followed by a hybrid model the following year.

This brings us to 2022 and a recovering theatre scene that’s allowing us to deliver a live programme, much like the one we first envisioned back in 2019. This wasn’t a case of returning to square one but instead, returning to the drawing board. The conversations, stories and experiences that have given life to the past three topsy-turvy years have directly informed the art we want to present to the youth of Longford this season. As a generation periodically confined to bedroom walls, the online world has granted us greater access to politics, injustice and human experience than any previous generation – and we have taken to it easily, without looking back.

For this reason, our programme will not seek to explain, show or patronise but engage an active, change-making generation in lively, creative conversation. So, whether it’s a welcome distraction from school, big decisions or a lukewarm bag of cans, we welcome you to book a ticket, take your seat – and we’ll look after the rest

Emer & Daire