‘What’s in a Name’, created and performed by care-experienced young people and produced by the Arcola Theatre and Coram

We were buzzing as we left the outdoor theatre in Dalston, having been blown away by the talent we had just spent the evening watching and listening to. These care-experienced young people had been part of a 12 week programme where they worked with spoken word artist Ric Flo to create new pieces inspired by Coram’s Foundling Hospital archive, as part of Voices Through Time: The Story of Care.

The show was made up of a series of solo spoken word offerings, songs, raps and also films, which included thought-provoking camera work and animation. Each piece allowed us to step into the world of the young person and gain an insight into each of their journeys. The show was so slick and well-rehearsed and we were so inspired by the carefully crafted writing, the skilled performances which captivated the audience, and the powerful presence of these dynamic young people.

The show ended on a piece which repeated the line:

‘care leaver to care leader’

which is a message we strongly believe in, and which we are still finding ourselves singing along to in our heads, even a couple of weeks later!

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