Excelsior Academy Welcomes Powerful Performance of Penguin

Excelsior Academy was proud to host a special performance of Penguin, the one-person show by Hamzeh Al Hussien, co-created and directed by Amy Golding.

Hamzeh’s professional debut blends humour, music and dance to tell his life story. The play takes audiences from his village in Syria to the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan and finally to his new home in Gateshead. The title Penguin reclaims a derogatory nickname from Hamzeh’s childhood, turning it into a symbol of self-acceptance and pride.

Despite addressing difficult themes including war and disability discrimination, the play is uplifting and full of hope. It uses creative elements such as integrated captions and a symbolic set where Hamzeh maps out his journey. The show has received widespread acclaim, including four-star reviews from The Guardian and The Stage, and was named Best Newcomer at the North East Culture Awards in 2023.

Why the performance came to Excelsior

Excelsior’s involvement began in 2023 when pupils attended a workshop with Hamzeh and later saw the show at Live Theatre. Following this, Artistic Director Amy Golding approached Excelsior to be one of the first schools to host Penguin.

With the full support of the leadership team, the school hosted an evening performance for the local community as well as two shows for students. Free tickets were provided to ensure accessibility and local community groups were directly invited.

The impact on students and community

The performances created a strong sense of connection across the audience. Pupils were captivated by Hamzeh’s story and the opportunity to see lived experiences represented on stage.

For two Syrian pupils at Excelsior, the experience was especially powerful. Abdulnour exclaimed, “Miss, he is from my town” while Yamen added, “They were born in the same hospital, Miss, we know the camp.” For Abdulnour, who rarely speaks much English or smiles, the performance created such a strong link that he proudly told staff, “I am going to tell my parents what I saw.”

“A privilege to join staff and students in welcoming this very special production to Excelsior Academy this week. Be proud, be who you are - be more penguin!”

Gabrielle Reddington - Director of Secondary School Improvement at Laidlaw Schools Trust.

At Excelsior Academy, more than fifty languages are spoken and diversity is a central part of school life. As staff and students say: We don’t just learn about the world. We are the world. We are a living map, a human atlas of accents and alphabets. And here at our home we fly every single one.