Three young brothers are home alone. Their father has left and promised to return but after some time the boys begin to wonder if he is ever coming back. The brothers are faced with a series of problems that they need to solve in order to survive and to bring some stability to their lives. What will they eat? Who will be in charge?
This production started off with the working title Power, although at the theatre we oftentimes found ourselves calling it Poison, because power poisons people’s minds. Consequently the play became called Power/Poison.
Power/Poison is a play for youth and it will be performed by two of this year’s Theatre School alumni, Alaa Shehada and Motaz Malhees, together with Milad Qunebe.
The play focuses on sibling relationships within an uncertain world and constant conflict, as is the case in Palestine where the home environment is often affected by the instability outside. It deals with the fear of abandonment that is common among all children – but in Palestine this fear is aggravated by arbitrary arrests, killings or other events that separate children from parents.
“This production will give us a chance to engage directly with young people who face the particular problems that the play highlights”, says Nabil Al-Raee, director. “They will be given space to think and share their thoughts on these themes in a safe and caring environment.”
The play puts the spotlight on how children and youth copy the reality they see around them, in this case Jenin Refugee Camp, and how the behaviour of adults affect how the young imagine their future.
“We can end up in a very dangerous situation if we don’t educate and guide our children into better ways of thinking and acting”, says Nabil Al-Raee. “At The Freedom Theatre we believe that theatre and arts in general are important tools to help them and us reflect about the dynamics of our lives under occupation. Art gives us the opportunity to deal with it in a healthier way, and come to terms with the fact that we are even deprived of a ‘normal’ happy childhood.”
Power/Poison was presented to an invited audience in October and the official opening will be on Sunday January 4, 2015. The play will also be live-streamed to an international audience.
PERFORMANCES
4/1 15:00 The Freedom Theatre
5/1 15:00 The Freedom Theatre
6/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre
7/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre
8/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre
10/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre
11/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre – live streamed
12/1 13:00 The Freedom Theatre
14/1 15:00 Cinema Jenin, Jenin City
15/1 15:00 Cinema Jenin, Jenin City
The play is in Arabic. Tickets cost 3 NIS and can be bought at the door. You can also choose to make a larger contribution by joining our matching campaign.
Power/Poison is funded by Sida, as part of the PAN program, and by the European Union.