The Hour of Feeling- Humana Festival play 3

هناك بركة في الهواء والتي يبدو شعور الفرح الاستسلام. إلى الأشجار العارية والجبال الجرداء والعشب في الميدان الاخضر.

It's difficult to appreciate a poem if you cannot read it. The same can be said for the struggles of refugees. One can not understand what a refugee has to overcome if they are not exposed to the realities of their life. The Hour of Feeling, by Mona Mansour, tells the story of a Palestinian refugee in the late 60's who has to make the ultimate choice; follow his dreams, or look after his family.

Adham is a recent graduate who is given the opportunity to take a trip to London to give a scholarly speech. Growing up with only a mother in his life, Adham is eager to leave for London and see an entirely new world away from the pressures of his everyday life. Before leaving for London, Adham meets Abir and they immediately fall in love. After a hasty marriage, the couple embark on the journey to London where Adham learns more about himself and the world around him. Once Adham gets word that the Six-Day War has broken out, he is faced with the decision of staying in London, or leave to go home with his wife.

The phrase at the beginning of this article, “هناك بركة في الهواء والتي يبدو شعور الفرح الاستسلام. إلى الأشجار العارية والجبال الجرداء والعشب في الميدان الاخضر,” was projected on the curtain in the Pamela Brown theatre, along with the translation a few seconds afterwards. It translates to "there is a blessing in the air which seems a sense of joy to yield. To the bare trees and mountains bare and grass in the green field." The play opens with a minimal set. There is a long bench with a cloth over it and a table with bowls scattered on top. There are many set changes throughout the show which flow seamlessly from scene to scene. The Arabic language is also spoken frequently, and the translations are projected onto the set in the background. This feature of the show really makes the characters feel real.

Even though this is a thought provoking show, the comedic breaks helped ease the tension of the scenes. By the end of the show I had laughed, cried, and more importantly thought. I thought about what I would do if I were Adham. I thought about how I would handle the situation. I thought about what was more important to me, family or my dreams.

This play earned 4 out of 5 bells. With its adult scenes, some sexuality, and intellectual topic I would not recommend this show for anyone younger than 18. That being said, if you are looking for a show that not only makes you laugh, but also makes you discuss the screenplay with the audience around you, then The Hour of Feeling is the show for you.