Spacebridge
Conceived & Directed by Irina Kruzhilina
In association with En Garde Arts and Visual Echo; Presented in partnership with Under the Radar
La MaMa Ellen Stewart Theatre at 66 East 4th Street, 2nd floor;, New York, NY 10003
January 7-11, 2025
Photos Credit for 1, 2, 3 by Walter Wlodarczyk | Photo Credit for 4 by Maria Baranova
SpaceBridge invites the audience into the lives of eleven Russian refugee children who have forged friendships with eight American children in New York City. Brought together through a theatre program, these children play, connect, and share their stories. Through devising rehearsals and workshops, Irina Kruzhilina and the young performers collaboratively create a poignant piece set on a simple stage—chairs and luggage forming a perimeter. Multimedia elements effectively convey the transience and uncertainty of refugee life.
The story is narrated by Samantha Smith, the United States’ “Littlest Ambassador,” who would have been 53 years old today had her life not been tragically cut short in a plane crash. Through the children’s voices, we witness harrowing journeys: crossing borders, coping with the loss and displacement of leaving their homeland, enduring life in refugee shelters, and navigating the dizzying, complex process of seeking asylum.
The performance, divided into ten chapters, felt like multiple plays interwoven into one. It tackled themes of war, poverty, persecution, and the migrant crisis, all framed within the context of current sanctuary city policies and the ongoing struggles of asylum-seekers in New York City and beyond. While impactful overall, two moments—a musical interlude and a depiction of the asylum process—felt somewhat disconnected from the piece's overarching intention, though they offered humor and important context.
Powerful statistics punctuated the narrative: 82% of refugee parents remain stranded in Mexico, unable to reunite with their children; 95 million square feet of office space lie empty in New York City while thousands seek shelter. Refugee children who return to their “motherland” risk being labeled Public Enemy #1.
Key moments highlighted the plight of refugees, who are defined as individuals forced to flee their countries due to persecution and in need of international protection. Asylum-seekers, by contrast, are refugees awaiting legal recognition in the countries where they seek safety. With 2 million people currently seeking asylum globally—and 10,000 in New York City alone since the start of the war in Ukraine—the performance underscored the urgency and magnitude of these crises.
I remember the SpaceBridge program from the early 1980s, when I was in elementary school learning about the so-called “evil empire.” It was an innovative initiative connecting live audiences in the United States and the U.S.S.R., fostering real-time dialogue across continents. I also vividly recall Samantha Smith, as she wasn’t much older than me at the time. Her ability to inspire change resonated deeply, planting seeds for my own passion for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and advocating for the power of having a voice.
SpaceBridge not only shines a light on urgent humanitarian issues but also reminds us of the resilience of children and the transformative power of connection. It is a timely and moving piece of theatre that demands attention. It is also one story from one group of refugee children from one country.
Click HERE for tickets.
Reviewed by Malini Singh McDonald.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on January 9th, 2025. All rights reserved.