Closed Lands by Simon Grangeat

Why is the ‘free world’ obsessed with walls?

A Legal Aliens Production at Vaults Festival

Directed by Becka McFadden

“A harrowing picture of dehumanisation and unfairness, perfectly exhibiting how nationality and origins are an arbitrary matter of luck. A darkly comic take on migration surfaces with the sale of preventing procedures, methods of reclusion, and pure violence in the form of glamorous ads. … The company succeeds in delivering a poignant and educational portrayal of the state of political divide.” ★★★★ BroadwayWorld

poetry, satire, reportage, and multimedia

Four women performing on stage, dressed in white, with dramatic lighting and dark background.

A unique fusion of poetry, satire, reportage, and traveller’s diary, Closed Lands traces the history of modern walls, real and metaphorical, from Berlin to Mexico to Europe and the US. Beginning in 1989 with the euphoria for the fall of the Berlin wall, “the end of shame”, it moves in space and time to Mexico, the Sahara Desert, and the wall of water surrounding “Fortress Europe”.  

Closed Lands chronicles the “Free world’s” obsession with border walls and our journey back to shame. This production is based on factual research and performed by actors who are all migrants in the UK.

In association with Exchange Theatre, LegalAliens’ powerful and evocative multimedia production features five women rotating through the roles of migrant, politician, citizen, CEO and a VIP bot, all part of a perverse and random mechanism.  

Simon Grangeat is a French playwright. His writing weaves documentary, real testimonies, and fiction into original dramaturges that have been welcomed with warm reception all across Europe.

Three women onstage. One squatting on rollerskates is in the foreground. Another is sitting in a beanbag next to a laptop. The third woman is standing in the background near a stack of boxes.

Creative Team

Directed by Becka McFadden

Translated by Laure Fernandez and LegalAliens 

Associate Directed by Jonathan Millington 

Lighting Design by Julien Bernard-Grau 

Projection Design by Julien Bernard-Grau 

Set Up and Costume Design by Laura Rouzet

With Luiana Bonfim, Catharina Conte, Daiva Dominyka, and Becka McFadden

Supported by the cultural department of the French Embassy

A woman in a red sweater sitting on a large bean bag onstage. Three women are standing against a textured wall, one of whom is standing on a small stool with a music stand in front.
A woman wearing a white shirt and white pants, sits on a chair on stage. She has a brown bag slung over her shoulder and is gesturing with her hands. Behind her are stacked boxes, some with illustrations and shoes lined up in front of the boxes.