Here, in a London training centre, people prepare to help strangers on another side of the world. There, a city is burning.
Here, Sarah gets a meal deal. There, people are in danger. Here, Khaled watches a training video. There, there are men with guns. Here, Sarah and Khaled flirt with each other. There, an aid worker looks after a refugee.
Suddenly – here becomes there.
In Sami Ibrahim’s play Multiple Casualty Incident, roleplay, desire and compassion intertwine, revealing the limits of help, the beginnings of harm and the complexities of humanitarian work. It was first performed at The Yard Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Jaz Woodcock-Stewart.
‘A timely exploration of the ethics of foreign aid’ – The Stage
‘Unforgettable… when what’s actually going on is revealed, the impact is astonishing’ – Time Out
‘Mind-bending and reality-blending… the political becomes extraordinarily personal in ways [that are] wholly unexpected… does not shy away from the disconcerting questions [about] Western humanitarian aid’ – A Youngish Perspective
Circa l’autore
Sami Ibrahim is a writer from London. His plays include: Multiple Casualty Incident (The Yard Theatre, London, 2024); A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain (Paines Plough / Rose Theatre, Kingston / Gate Theatre, London, 2022); two Palestinians go dogging (Royal Court Theatre, London, 2022; winner of the inaugural Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award in 2019); Metamorphoses, co-written with Laura Lomas and Sabrina Mahfouz, after Ovid (Shakespeare’s Globe, 2021); Wind Bit Bitter, Bit Bit Bit Her (2018 VAULT Festival, London); Iron Dome Fog Dome (The Yard, London, 2017) and Force of Trump (Brockley Jack).
He has worked at the Almeida Theatre as a member of their Creative Board, developing and producing From the Ground Up, a piece of immersive theatre.