Palestinian Play Sparks Concern
Jewish Leaders Question Inclusion In New Haven's Arts Festival

May 23, 2002
By FRANK RIZZO, Courant Staff Writer

"Alive From Palestine: Stories Under Occupation" scheduled to be presented next month by a Palestinian theater company at New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas is the subject of growing concern among some Jewish leaders in the community, who feel the piece "demonizes" and "stereotypes" Israelis, "especially at this time."

In the work, seven members of the Al-Kasaba Theatre present a series of monologues depicting stories from everyday life - suggested and developed by the actors - focusing on various areas of frustration, pain, anger and loss. The show will be performed June 25 to 29 at Long Wharf Theatre, one of the festival's venues throughout the city.

The festival booked the Palestinian company after it performed the piece, which is presented in Arabic with English subtitles, in London last summer as part of the London International Theater Festival. According to the New Haven festival promotion, the work depicts an "intimate glimpse into ordinary lives lived in a war zone - the anger, despair, love, loss and frustration." The Times of London said the piece enables audiences "to glimpse something of the day-to-day experience of life in this shattered land." The Guardian, another London paper, called the one-hour play, "necessary theater."

The theater company, led by George Ibrahim, was established in Jerusalem in 1970 and now is based in Ramallah on the West Bank.

"We don't object that the Palestinians are presenting stories from their lives," says David Waren, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in New Haven. "But under the umbrella of an arts festival which receives $1 million from the state, the show should provoke a productive exchange of ideas. This is not a dialogue-builder in our view. But there's no balance in the play or in the entire festival as a counterweight to this and that really is the rub."

Waren says, pointing to three short excerpts from the script, that the play depicts Israelis in a way "that surely would not be tolerated as part of a community arts festival."

Mary Miller, executive director of the festival, said she felt the piece had artistic integrity. "We are bringing this piece of theater here," she says, "because it is an interesting piece of theater, because it's a fine piece of work, not because it was Palestinian, but that it expressed voices from a country whose voices are not often heard in the theater." She says many of those who have seen a video of the entire play were moved and understood the totality of the work. Miller says it is unfair to base a judgment on excerpts that may be interpreted out of context.

Waren characterized the objections to the production as "informal." "I've seen no organized formal protests," he says. "There's just been an ad hoc outpouring of concern across the community," says Waren, who points out he has received more calls on this issue than any other he has dealt with in his seven-year tenure. He says his organization has a policy opposing organized boycotts."

"We're disturbed that this play was included in the arts festival and there wasn't a better vetting or review process," says Waren. "But we certainly didn't mean to suggest there was any intended malice on the part of the arts festival organizers."

Miller says she has met with Jewish community leaders over the past few months regarding the Palestinian play, "and we are continuing those discussions."

Waren will join Jewish community and festival leaders at a meeting today. "I would like to find cooperative ways to address those concerns we have given that the play is scheduled to take place in June," he says.

Says Miller: "The festival is about giving a platform to artists of all nationalities in order to share their creativity and to share their experiences. The festival has no stand-point or belief other than presenting good art."

The New Haven engagement will mark the Palestinian troupe's only U.S. engagement. The festival will also feature the Inbal Pinto Dance Company, an Israeli group which will present its "darkly mirthful" piece, "Oyster," June 26 to 29 at the University Theater.