Category: Off-Broadway

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of the  Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (a Tony Award®-winning producing house for A Strange Loop) prior to my trip to Washington D.C. earlier this month, and I was unsure as to how I’d enjoy a queer S. Asian re-telling of Antigone – given I last saw it at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, led by Zainab Hasan playing the lead in which modern British Muslim life was tackled. This time, Amm(i)gone is a joint translation of the text (not all, but a good chunk of it), as well as an apology from and to Adil and his mom whilst exploring grief and identity. In short, it was going to take me on an eighty-minute journey into Mansoor’s world, a world that felt so familiar to mine.

Upon entering this producing house’s intimate auditorium space, there is a familiar sight: it’s a home tape of Adil Masoor as he’s reading his ‘Amin’, a celebration of completing the Qur’an. Child Mansoor recites the Qur’an verses with (qirrat) and I find myself glancing at the intricacies of the wooden panelling, in awe of the Xotchil Musser’s handcrafted set. I immediately spot ‘Alif-Laam-Meem’ and various Haroof e Muqataat. The attention to detail from the off-set is promising, as the audience filters into their seat unprepared for what was to unfold. It’s a staging that takes the proscenium arch template, but makes it decisively modern: there’s a screen that projects old tapes, but then again it’s used where there’s an overhead project where some “show and tell” parts of the narrative occurs. One thing that is for sure, bring tissues to Adil’s show. There’s nothing like slinking into your seat and being mesmerised and this show packs so many punches taking me on a journey with an intersection of the old (an overhead projector) and the new (MacBook). Instantly, Mansoor is likeable and his portrayal of the events surefire showcase authenticity at its prime: a lesson in how to stage your own story, without it being indulgent. Manor’s devising of the show, with the co-direction of Lyam B. Gabel show that Amm(i)gone has been worked on voraciously to make it tight-knit and indeed compulsory viewing for all theatre goers in Washington D.C.

The show proceeds to unveil Adil’s now-veil wearing mother and the sensitivity with which we’re told about his mum is to be commended. There are lighter moments, where we hear about her life and the endless possibilities that she imbues in her children. there are moments of meeting Adil’s siblings (and one siblings adorable dog), and I felt just so in awe od everything on stage. The scene’s endings and starts were so smooth, and the team behind the stage and on were equally brilliant. We’re entranced with anecdotes of the meaning of theatre, but how there’s a dream his mother wants to achieve in childhood. On occasions, there’s an insight into a raw mother and son footage that captures the conversations. Mansoor talks the audience through these interactions, of drama games to get people to exercise their minds before translating the text. The play isn’t a full translation of Antigone per se, but the select portions reflect what a moving encounter this journey of devising a piece of theater. It’s the journey a mother and son go on together, that is a universal experience. It is profoundly moving, a searing piece of art that would hugely benefit from a vast global viewership that transcends the North American continent. 

I’ll certainly return to Mansoor’s work, and also to the WMT company’s theatre for it truly is stunningly radical venue. In short, I left with my heart full having seen something that could well have resembled something in my life: it is a life-affirming, and a tender display of love and humanity. I’d heartily recommend Ammi(i)gone to everyone, and wish it has a cross-atlantic (trip) over to the UK, as it has so much potential.

Until 18 May 2024 only: https://www.woollymammoth.net/productions/ammigone/ (in Washington D.C.)

Long Wharf Theatre
New Haven, CT | May 28 – June 23, 2024

** N.B. the ticket to see this production was a complimentary ‘gifted’ pair of tickets, in exchange for the writer’s honest review **

In the time that I spent in New York last month, the second half of my trip meant I was staying a stone’s throw from the West End Theatre — 263 W 86th St (between Broadway and West End). I was really grateful to be invited to review a stalwart of British Theatre’s works over in the Great White Way.

Arcadia is a play in which Tom Stoppard (which did in fact win him a Best Play at the 1993 Olivier Awards) navigates the interaction between two academics (set in the modern age) and the residents of a Derbyshire country house in the early 19th century. These included aristocrats, tutors and the fleeting presence, unseen on stage, of Lord Byron. The themes of the play include: literature, philosophy and the English style of garden design.

I tried my best to engage with this three hour play (!), and despite this, I found the action on stage to be all kinds of chaotic and monotonous. For a start, the way Bedlam – the company staging this –  seem to have positioned this is to have the blackboard with the location ‘ENGLAND’ written and then actors speaking in American accents. I found this to jar hugely with my own interpretation, and made me feel disconnected not only as a Brit, but as an audience member. Perhaps it was due to the appeal and location being in the US, that the directorial choices were used that again reinforced how this was far too long and not at all memorable. Though, having said that, there were some lovely performances from the actors – whose fault it wasn’t regarding a weak script – and for so much happens, all at once. Its exploration of chaos theory, and complex ideas need not be something the audience is au fait with but it could perhaps help to be interested in science. The character of Thomasina  (played by Caroline Grogan) was played well and in a believable manner, opposite Shaun Taylor-Corbett as Septimus Hodge. I enjoyed the scenes where they were present, despite the entirety of the show being convoluted and not-quite-finessed.

All in all, it was my first (Tom) Stoppard play but I definitely felt the writing could have been cut (a 90-minute one act abridged show, would be a great suggestion of mine personally) in order to make it a succinct play that engages. It did feel on numerous occasion as being muddled, confusing and also slightly contrived. The actors also used small props that enhanced the story somewhat, and the backdrop was painted in lovely lush colours bringing a suitably stunning set.

Despite the many flaws, I am glad to have seen a Stoppard play. Let’s just hope the next one provide the company producing it with more of a springboard to leap from as this missed the mark on few occasions when it could have been an innovative way to tell the story.

Until 23 December:
https://bedlam.org/arcadia/

N.b. Advertisement feature - Ad - This review is the sole thoughts of the reviewer, and was a gifted (PR) complimentary experience in exchange for an honest review of the material showcased on stage. If you would like to support my independent theatre, please consider subscribing to my Ko-fi: >> https://ko-fi.com/hamzajahanzeb <<