Tamasha’s Re-Fuel project sent four Muslim playwrights, supported by directors from Tamasha’s Developing Artist programme, into four inner London secondary schools to develop a new 20-minute play each, set in a minicab office.

The performances will take place at Theatre Royal Stratford East, in Gerry Raffles Square, on Monday, October 16.

Through a series of imaginative drama exercises up to 10 students in each school worked with the writers and directors to populate the minicab office world with characters and storylines of their own creation.

The writers gathered the young people’s ideas and developed them into professional scripts, with bespoke parts for each young person to perform.

The participating schools include Hampstead School, Regent High School (both in Camden), Mulberry School for Girls and Swanlea School (both in Tower Hamlets). The writers involved are Media Ahmed, Mahad Ali, Asif Khan, and Iman Qureshi.

Directors of the new productions are Kate Hibbert supported by Cheryl Ndione, Sam Maynard supported by Endy McKay, Cara Woods, Hailey Manuel and Nick Jones supported by Brigitte Adela, and Alexandra Barson supported by Mina Barber.

This event will bring all four schools together to perform these unique plays.

The choice of location, a minicab office, is an imaginative prompt intended to locate the story firmly within a British Muslim community. It is also intended to generate four short plays which align with Tamasha’s forthcomimg national touring production, Approaching Empty by Ishy Din, itself set in a minicab office.

The four plays are:

The Lady by Asif Khan

Homera has convinced her dad to let her use his minicab office for an Eid party for her friends. But when a spooky game with an upturned glass gets out of hand, the lights go out and a mysterious presence makes herself known…

Directed by Kate Hibbert (supported by Cheryl Ndione)

Performed by pupils from Swanlea School

irthday Begum by Iman Qureshi

70-year old Hasina has waited all day in the minicab office for her selfish granddaughters to take her out on her birthday. When a fairy godson turns up and grants her three wishes, Hasina summons her granddaughters, and gives them a frightening vision of the future.

Directed by Sam Maynard (supported by Endy McKay)

Performed by pupils from Mulberry School for Girls

Entangled by Mahad Ali

In the near future, a brutal civil war rages between the Solars and Lunars. Two groups of young people from the rival tribes meet, and have to decide who gets to call the derelict minicab office home.

Directed by Cara Woods, Hailey Manuel and Nick Jones (supported by Brigitte Adela)

Performed by pupils from Regent High School

North West Side Story by Mediah Ahmed

NW Cars in Cricklewood is closing down, to be replaced by an Uber office. Caught on different sides of the divide, Cara and Azem meet and love blossoms – but will it ever be allowed? A hilarious contemporary take on a musical classic.

Directed by Alexandra Barson (supported by Mina Barber)

Performed by pupils from Hampstead School

Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN on Monday, October 16. Details: 020 8534 0310