Interview with Director and Playwright of 'One Million to STOP THE TRAFFIK', Mark Wheeller

Having won the All England Theatre Festival with 'One Million to STOP THE TRAFFIK', the Oasis Youth Theatre prepares to represent England in the British final later this month. In light of such a fantastic and prestigious achievement, we took a moment to hear from Mark Wheeller, Director and Playwright of the official STOP THE TRAFFIK play.

Sum up who you are and what you do in 100 words.

I'm Mark Wheeller.  I work as the Executive Director of Arts at Oasis Academy Lord's Hill.  Within that role I am also the Director of the Oasis Youth Theatre.  I also have some time not employed by Oasis where I am able to write plays and undertake freelance consultancy work.

Congratulations on your hugely successful play ‘One million to STOP THE TRAFFIK’. Where did you first hear about people trafficking and how did this affect you?

On the first day of being an Oasis Academy, there was a presentation by Bex Keer from STOP THE TRAFFIK.  As soon as I saw the presentation, I knew this was a play I wanted to write and suggested it to her right there!

What were the steps which led to the creation of the play?

I spoke to Bex.  She sent us some testimonies.  We adapted some of them to show her that we were capable of making a good job of using this material and turning it into a play.  Then I made contact with Phil Lane, who was suggested as the ideal person for me to use as a narrator figure, so that the play would be able to look at some of the different forms of human trafficking STT has to deal with.  From those interviews I fashioned a play.  I took the play into rehearsals and my cast found imaginative ways of staging the words.

What did you originally hope to achieve through the play’s message?

To raise awareness of human trafficking.  Also to offer my Youth Theatre members a subject matter that they could feel committed to so that they would produce some outstanding work.

How has the play impacted the students in the Oasis Youth Theatre?

Immensely.  You really should ask them, though. It has affected us all. I said to them at the start of the project, this is the sort of project that will change some of our lives. It has!

What are your hopes for the future of the play?

In September it is to be published both as a script and a DVD.  It will be lovely to see how other groups who choose to use the script as a vehicle for their performances develop what we have started.  I would also love to see a professional group have the opportunity to tour it... but that would need significant funding!

What is the biggest thing you’ve learnt through ‘One million to STOP THE TRAFFIK’?

The most wonderful thing is how the group have used the particular skills of people in our cast... in particular we have two very accomplished body poppers/lockers and the way in which they have incorporated these skills has been incredible... perhaps the single thing that makes our production so original!

'One Million to STOP THE TRAFFIK' is being performed at The Oasis Centre in London on Monday 21st June. Free tickets are still available but reservations are required. Please contact fran.ruiz@oasisuk.org for more details and to reserve yours!