Physical storytelling, singing, and full-blooded performances combine to strong effect in Rebels and Patriots, introducing one of the less-explored areas of the bloodshed of Israel’s actions in Gaza: the effect of the violence on the young men conscripted into the Israeli Defence Force and propelled into the conflict. Based on the experiences of writer and performer Nadav Burstein and brought to life by his Israeli-Palestinian-British production team Floating Shed, the play proves to be a balanced and thought-provoking piece of theatre.
a balanced and thought-provoking piece of theatre
Since Hamas launched their deadly attack last October and Israel responded with prolonged and devastating violence, the tragedy of the situation has been relentless. Against this backdrop, four friends - three who have been conscripted and one who hasn’t - meet, discuss, argue, and search their souls over their involvement in the complex and violent situation.
Each character represents a different viewpoint on the military and the war. One is an anti-war protester who has been brutalized by the police; another is a budding pilot trying to justify a future that promises morally reprehensible actions. While they are both interesting enough, the most compelling characters are the Arab-Israeli Osher, played by the engaging Tarik Badwan, whose conscription and participation in Israeli actions lead to significant turmoil, and writer Burstein’s own Omri, a young man whose developing consciousness increasingly clashes with the demands of his military service. They offer two versions of internal conflict, and how it can manifest, and bring depth to the play.
It’s the kind of subject that could easily get bogged down in heavy-handed moralizing - and there are many who would probably say heavy-handed moralizing is entirely appropriate - but aside from the occasional performative flourish, the production does well to keep the story and the themes grounded. These are four young friends whose decency and mental health are being put under incredible pressure by forces far out of their control, and the mundane reality of their friendship proves an effective counterpoint to the horror of the backdrop.
At one point early in the play, Omri is asked what his favourite war is, and he responds with Vietnam. It’s a telling inclusion as thematically the play does have something of Michael Cimino's great Deer Hunter about it. While it is more limited than that classic of cinema, Rebels and Patriots does prove to be an effective and engaging piece of theatre.
