Lyn Gardner

The Guardian on Mincement

"A remarkable piece of theatre, multi-layered, passionate and as innovative as anything on offer on the London stage"

Dele Adagunodo

Cast Member Pericles

"The themes and issues are very close to my heart. I was going through a difficult time, but working with Cardboard Citizens gave me a lot of confidence"

Hettie Judah

The Times

"The trick of pulling off Forum Theatre is getting the balance right; entertaining enough to hold an audience, difficult enough to provoke them and located in such a way that a variety of opinions are elicited from a diverse group of people. One company that manages to do this with considerable aplomb is Cardboard Citizens"

Kate Stratton

Time Out on The Lower Depths

"...an absorbing drama performed with passion, humour and intelligence by a cast who, given a filter through which to articulate their experience, do so with a dignity and honesty that makes their voices all the stronger"

Fiona Maddocks

The Observer on The Beggar's Opera

"No one is going to grow fat out of this shoestring collaboration...the rewards in terms of esteem and morale, or even morality, should prove incalculable. The performers were not the only ones affected... you could feel the audience flinch"

Hostel resident

2002-3 Engagement Programme Tour

"It was very real. It shows you what it’s really like. It’s the first time anything like that has happened in the hostel in the seven months I’ve been there"

Rebecca Feiner

Single Homeless Project

"The sincerity and humour of your actors with their direct experience makes a big difference to the reception the tenants give it and creates a genuine feeling of exchange"

Assistant Hostel Manager

Leicester Night Shelter

"The night was inspirational with the effect it had on the audience - several recognised their own issues on the stage and asked for help tackling them. Others stood up in front of the audience, laid their life story bare before them and used themselves as examples as to why the younger guys and girls in the shelter should tackle their own issues now, to bring about a change in their lives for the better"

Stefano Genovese

Ace of Clubs

"Great, awesome, enjoyable and informative"

Susan Quick

Rainbow of Desires Training 2005

"...was as wonderful as it always is! ...I never stop coming as it is my only opportunity to be 100% on the receiving end!"

Jes Davies

Rainbow of Desires Training 2005

"Excellent presentation of Theatre of the Oppressed techniques…On a personal level the course has inspired me to look again at the over-importance I attach to rational thinking, and to explore the fuller picture of aesthetics"

Mr J Reid

Rainbow of Desires Training 2005

"An open and honest group, created by superb facilitation, particularly through Adrian Jackson, led to a space where we could really begin to understand ourselves professionally and personally. Through August Boal's techniques I have learnt not to simply reproduce an activity with a group, but apply a wider process of understanding to the individuals I work with. Thank you!"

Visible

British Theatre Guide

"Visible has a stronly didactic message, but this only serves to transform what would otherwise be a hilarious, pacy black comedy into genuinely important theatre...Suffice it to say, go - this is theatre at its funniest, blackest, most daring and challenging best "

Hostel resident

2004-5 tour Engagement Programme

"The show is really helpful for homeless people. It says to you go back to work, go to training, stop drinking, pay housing benefit or your rent on time. It also says sort out your problems with your key worker, social services and advice office"

Kate Winslet

Ambassador

I am delighted and proud to be working with Cardboard Citizens as their ambassador. Over the last 16 years they have managed to pull off that very rare trick of producing artistically excellent work that challenges audiences at the same time as making a real difference to people's lives. No company in the UK better demonstrates the capacity of theatre to transform lives through personal empowerment and the rebuilding of shattered confidence. Cardboard Citizens' work with homeless people - and the ways in which their performances can open audiences eyes and provoke impassioned debate - is quite simply invaluable.

The role that Cardboard Citizens, as an organization, has played in the lives of some of its members has not only helped change their lives, but also restored their sense of self-confidence and pride.

Michael Billington

Guardian on Timon of Athens

'His...[Jackson's]...success, though, lies in getting to the despairing heart of Shakespeare's play.'

Dani Rose

Teacher, Tom Hood School

"Excellent, informative, lively and topical. You engaged some of our most difficult pupils - not easy"

Visible

ExtraExtra.org

'Visible is one unpredictable, intelligent, and, at times, uncomfortable, in your face piece of theatre. But, judging by Cardboard Citizens reputation for rising to the occassion and bringing issues to the suffice in the course of their workshops, that isn't surprising.'

Jenny Edwards

Homeless Link

The grind of homelessness can leave people believing they are the 'no hopers' many have accused them of being. The confidence gained by participants in Cardboard Citizens projects has far reaching consequences. This is an organization that changes lives.

Jo Brand

Comedian

I'm glad to be able to support the work of Cardboard Citizens because all too often homeless people become completely invisible on the street as hundreds of relatively wealthy people pass them by and don't see it as their problem. Well, it is.

Jon Harris

Project Implementation Manager

The impact and importance of the show was perhaps best summarised by the following comment we received; " The stark insights provided by Cardboard Citizens resonated with astoundingly important messages for all involved in the support of vulnerable people. If such an event could be repeated I will be strongly advising all my colleagues to become delegates"

The magnificent job your team carried out, from initial contact to final performance, has been painless, professional and massively beneficial to this event, our organisation, the attendees and those they work with. I will happily and earnestly be promoting Cardboard Citizens to all the providers of support services we deal with as a learning tool for their staff.