Us/Them (NHB Modern Plays)

In September 2004, a group of terrorists stormed School Number One in Beslan, Russia, taking hundreds of children, their parents and teachers hostage. The ensuing siege lasted three days and left many dead. Us/Them is not a straightforward account of this terrible tragedy, but an exploration of the entirely individual way children cope with traumatic situations. Originally created for BRONKS, a theatre company for young audiences, Us/Them had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016, winning a Scotsman Fringe First Award, and transferred to the National Theatre, London, in 2017. It was co-produced by BRONKS and Richard Jordan Productions, with Theatre Royal Plymouth and Big in Belgium, in association with Summerhall. 'A remarkable piece of theatre - playful, surprisingly and painfully funny as well as moving' - Guardian 'A truly outstanding piece of theatre for all ages... [makes] an inhuman ordeal somehow understandable, filtered through this very modern, accessible retelling' - The Stage 'Haunting, unforgettable... the highlight of the Fringe' - Telegraph 'Dazzlingly confident and utterly absorbing... presents [its] story masterfully' - Scotsman 'An innovative piece of theatrical storytelling... the bare facts of this terrible episode are well known, but the story is given such bold, off-centre treatment in [Us/Them] that it inspires a much deeper consideration of the massacre, its context and implications, than a simple dramatisation could hope to achieve' - The Times 'Remarkable - powerful and quietly shocking, certainly, but also one that dares to be entertaining and absurd, even playful' - The List

Carly Wijs has written and created plays, and has performed as a film and theatre actress with Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez, Guy Cassiers, Josse De Pauw, De Roovers, KOPERGIETERY, Muziektheater Transparant et al. Her productions have toured internationally. She is regularly invited to be a guest lecturer at the RITS and P.A.R.T.S. (both in Brussels). Her first novel The Doubtexperiment was published in May 2016 and nominated for the Flemish debut prize: The Bronze Owl. Us/Them won her an Edinburgh Fringe First at the 2016 Festival.