16 Apr 2025
THU 22 & FRI 24 MAY 2025, 7.45PM
Tron Theatre is delighted to welcome Hamzeh Al Hussien and Amy Golding for the Scottish Premiere of Hamzeh’s solo-show, Penguin, which will play our Changing House studio space for two nights only in May.
After a sold-out, award-winning run in 2023, this extraordinary play is touring again, and the Tron shows are the only Scottish dates. Filled with humour, beauty, and heart, Hamzeh’s remarkable story takes audiences on an unforgettable journey from his Syrian village to Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, through Gateshead, and deep into his vibrant mind—a place brimming with music, dancing, fantasies, and marbles.
Hamzeh invites you to become his childhood friends, holding the moon to light his dreams, brushing dust from his clothes, and stepping into the magic of his world.
A disabled artist from Syria who arrived five years ago in Gateshead, North East England as part of the UK’s Syrian Resettlement Programme, Hamzeh was first introduced to performing during his six years in Za’atari refugee camp where he trained with a Spanish NGO in physical theatre. He performed in various productions there and facilitated drama and theatre projects with disabled children in the camp.
Exploring his lived experience of disability and seeking sanctuary, this autobiographical work is ultimately a story about self-acceptance and hope.
This show is captioned in both Arabic and English.
Running time 65 minutes
Suitable for ages 12+
Warning: This show includes stories about being displaced due to war, refugee camps and ableism (disability discrimination).
