An overtly political piece, constructed around a naive tourist's desire to visit Jericho and the River Jordan. An early chance encounter brings him directly into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and offers him and the audience an opportunity to appreciate (but not - ever! - to understand) the man-made nightmare of day-to-day living in those circumstances.
Undoubtedly worthy. Some really nice moments and devices - the bleating of the goat, the childrens' voices delivered from back-of-stage by the actors; the arrival at the airport and the disorientation of a foreign environment; the frenetic car journeys - but it all seemed to me quite unremitting. The car scenes were to my mind overlong, some of the characterisations just too stereotypical.
Having said that, I wouldn't dismiss the play in terms of its potential for rural touring. The set was good and simple, and used creatively and effectively. The acting was good - very good - and there was much energy there from all four actors. The audience was small when I saw the play, and in a less professional cast that can result in a less-than-optimal output, but there was no evidence of that from this group.
Peter for Arts Out West
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