REWIND

REWIND – Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Pleasance Theatre, London, 5 July 2025

Thanks to funding from the Society & Culture Spotlight, as well as the Arts and Humanities Impact Fund, Alison Ribeiro de Menezes from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures worked with artist and researcher Katie Taylor and London-based Ephemeral Ensemble to devise a theatre show to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

Field research in Bosnia was made possible by Remembering Srebrenica. The team then worked on adapting Ephemeral’s existing production, REWIND, which examines disappearance and resistance in Latin America, to the new historical and cultural context of the Bosnian war and ethnic cleansing of the 1990s.

Society & Culture funding enabled Taylor’s involvement. She was vital in helping to redesign props, including a jacket which plays a central role in the show’s narrative. Her understanding of the Bosnian war and her connection to Remembering Srebrenica mean that we have established a solid network, and hope to perform the show in Birmingham and Sarajevo next year. Taylor’s wider work is showcased here.

Following the performance, we held a Q&A with Prof. Aidan Hehir, an expert in the Balkans from Westminster University, Robert McNeil, a former forensic technician who worked on mass graves in Bosnia, Ramon Ayres, Ephemeral Ensemble director, Katie Taylor and Alison Ribeiro de Menezes.

Audience feedback was enthusiastic about the effectiveness of production in engaging spectators in the difficult themes tackled, in bringing to life the human story of victims, and made links to other scenarios where violence is currently being perpetrated unchecked. On audience member wrote to us, ‘I have no words to explain how deep this performance hit me! From the acting to the sound and light effects, I could feel the pain and the despair as well as the happiness.’

Taylor, as an early career researcher, reflected: ‘Being involved with REWIND: Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a phenomenal experience. The project is deeply visceral, powerfully drawing audiences into the emotional and historical weight of the Bosnian conflict. It’s an absolute privilege to contribute to a work that uses the arts as a vehicle for meaningful knowledge-building and public engagement.’