What I liked
Myriam Ali-Ahmad is an extraordinary storyteller that gives so much love and passion to all the characters she portrays and I DARE you not to be moved by the humanity she instills in all of them.
What I didn't like
My only narrative and structural criticism will be that the show starts off with such incredible emotional rush and high stakes that the pace slows down pretty hard when Ali-Ahmad presents other characters that isn’t presented with such urgency. Balancing the highs and lows can help smooth out the pacing issues. Some of the characters may need work in greater differentiation but I understand that fringe shows are usually works in progress if taken further beyond its current form.
My overall impression
Handala may be one of the most important theatre works of our generation. This solo performance show is not only a celebration of Palestine but it does something that is so badly needed right now: to give humanity and soul to the Palestinian people while loudly declaring that there must be freedom and liberation. It is an exquisite piece of work written and performed by Myriam Ali-Ahmad and co-directed by Becca Khalil and Mahmoud Abobaker. It is an essential piece of work that I wish to see continue past its fringe run and flourish for the whole world to see.
