‘Look beyond the headlines.’ New play explores the lives of migrant care workers

A new play by Essex playwright and Senior Lecturer Dr Mary Mazzilli will tour England this autumn, shining a light on the experiences of migrant care workers. The 11-venue tour begins at Colchester’s Mercury Theatre with a special post-show panel discussion.

Inspired by interviews with migrant health and social care workers across London and the South East, Lightstreams, written by Dr Mazzilli explores migration, racism, belonging, mental health and family separation through the story of Maurice and Hermia.

Dr Mazzilli of our School of Language, Literature, and Media, who moved to the UK from Italy aged 18, said: “After working on this play for the last five years I feel very honoured to bring this play to venues in England. I am honoured because this is not my story. It is the story of people who like me have come to this country and tried to make it their home but unlike me have not been and are still not being felt welcome.”

The play follows Maurice a care worker in a residential home who takes pride in caring for others. But when a global crisis forces him to live at the care home to protect vulnerable residents, he is separated from his wife and young son. Years later, renewed restrictions on migrant care workers force the family to confront the sacrifices they have made and question whether they were ever truly recognised.

The Colchester opening will provide an opportunity to explore these themes beyond the stage, with a panel discussion bringing together perspectives on migration, care and the experiences of communities in the region. The discussion reflects the production’s wider ambition to create spaces for dialogue between theatre, communities, care organisations and educators.

Joining the discussion will be Roy Williams, one of the UK’s leading dramatists; Daniel Trilling, award-nominated journalist, Vijay Patel, Associate Director at Colchester Arts Centre; Maria Wilby, Operational Lead at Refugee, Asylum seeker & Migrant Action in Colchester; Cllr Kemal Çufoğlu, City Councillor for Castle Ward and member of the Colchester Green Party; and Josi George, Mundy House Home Manager.

Dr Mazzilli said bringing the migrant experience into theatre was important because it creates an opportunity for audiences to look beyond headlines and statistics and connect with the people and families behind them.

“During the pandemic we called care workers heroes, but many migrant workers returned home exhausted, isolated and forgotten,” she said. “Lightstreams asks audiences to look beyond the headlines and see the human beings behind the uniforms. This play is a provocation and an invite to everyone but especially all politicians, left and right, local and national to see it for themselves, to talk and ask themselves the question is this the kind of society we want to live in? Can we really look straight in the face of the people who care for us and ignore them?”

The play was developed with support from Arts Council England and the University of Essex and was longlisted for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2024/25. Its development has included staged readings at Lakeside Theatre in Colchester, Omnibus Theatre in London and Shepherd's Bush Studio.

As Senior Lecturer in Drama and Literature at Essex, Dr Mazzilli brings together her teaching, research and professional practice to explore stories that are often overlooked. Through Lightstreams, this work continues beyond the University, connecting new writing with lived experience and creating opportunities for audiences to consider migration, care and belonging.

Produced by Lumenis Theatre and Turnpike Productions, Lightstreams premieres at the Mercury Theatre Studio on Thursday 8 October before touring venues across England until 31 October.

Find out more about the tour.