Idlib – Chester Lane Library, St Helens

Written, directed and presented by Kevin Dyer, and produced by Laura Duncalf, Idlib is based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to return home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe. It tells the story of a woman (Anoush Kendrick) who has hope, but it is both the prelude to this tale and what follows afterwards that makes this such a powerfully prescient piece as it mixes conversation, an uplifting story of kindness, making bread on stage, drawing, and sharing personal memories of food and family, eating together and socialising.

As Dyer mixed the essential ingredients, with a glug of oil and yoghurt reminiscent of the Levant, the usual reticence of an audience quickly fell away with three coming forward to assist him. As he spoke, we were drawn into the troubled story of the city of Idlib in North-West Syria, a place much plagued by the tragedies that we are all aware of yet often choose to turn away from: the failure of its wheat harvest in 2006 through to a full-blown civil war; the destabilising interventions from East and West; and the competing interests of its geographical neighbours; and as we have sadly seen more recently in Gaza and Ukraine, the weaponisation of food.

A pause to allow the dough to rest and rise allowed a seated Kendrick to take centre stage with her moving performance providing timely insight into a troubled world of suspicion and despair, and at whose heart are real people – just like you and me – brought to life tonight and given a voice, a face even, with the arrival of a baker whose selfless act of salvation offers respite and hope from the horrors that surround their everyday existence.

I have seen this piece performed in different locations in recent years and the strength of its underlying message remains as simple and pure as the act of making bread, and where the power of storytelling brings families together, connects communities, and marks the start of something new and good as we share our own tales.

With the event made possible through the support of St Helens Arts in Libraries Service, it was a somewhat timely way to mark Loneliness Awareness Week as the audience were able to meet and make new friends – or reconnect with old ones – over a tea or coffee and bread of course accompanied by a beetroot dip, baba ghanoush, and a sweeter concoction, all prepared earlier by Duncalf, and share their own stories and experiences amid plenty of laughter and smiles.

Libraries are more than just reading, and reading is more than just about books – it’s about building dreams. Find out more at https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/arts

Idlib was the perfect prelude to Refugee Week, a week-long festival celebrating community as a superpower, commencing this Saturday with a free Communities Together Festival showcasing culture, music, community, food, play, and performances  at St Helens Parish Church, Church Square, St Helens, with further details available at https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/refugeeweek

There is also a St Helens Refugee Community Film Festival running from Wednesday 18^th through to Saturday 21^st June at Lucem House Community Cinema Plus+, 78 Corporation Street, St Helens with further details and booking available at https://www.lucemhouse.co.uk/whats-on

Kevin Dyer is Associate Writer for Theatre Porto and has been Associate Artist at Farnham Maltings. He writes, leads writing courses, is a poet and a storyteller. His play ‘The Syrian Baker’ which was derived from the monologue featured in Idlib won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Best Play award in 2022.

Idlib is made by Storm in the North – a production company making arresting theatre for curious people. It seeks to energize, beguile and to tell the truth. Further details https://www.storminthenorth.com/

Reviewer: Mark Davoren

Reviewed: 10^th June 2025

North West End UK Rating: