What I liked
The specific distinctions made between characters. Despite one woman playing about a dozen people—from young child to elderly woman, boys, girls, men, women, Israeli, Palestinian, soldiers, civilians—each and every one felt completely distinct. A conversation between two characters felt like two characters, rather than one person readings two sets of lines. The emotion and heart of the story was touching. And the through line with the title itself, Handala, bookending the performance—that final moment had me gasping for breath as I sobbed. Expertly written and executed.
What I didn't like
A longer run in a larger space. I want to watch it again and again and again, and share that moment with as many people as possible.
My overall impression
Handala is expertly drafted, interviewed, written, and performed. With one woman on a small stage I believed I was watching a full ensemble cast perform in a Broadway theatre. The depth and care into each character leaves them all distinct, the truth of these characters feeling as real and genuine as their real-life inspirations sitting across from me in the audience. The pain, the sorrow, the agony, the fear, the joy, the life, the love, and the hope I felt sitting in that audience—I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so much. I felt inspired and hopeful and filled with so much love that I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I would watch it everyday if I could. If you don’t know anything about Palestine, this will teach you a great deal. If you support a free Palestine, I beg you to watch it. Let it light the fuel of hope under you so we can continue the fight, so we will see Palestine freed one day, inshallah.
