FRONT ROW CENTRE: Moving message in 'A Tiny Piece of Land'
We can always count on Ari Weisberg and his company Teatron to offer fascinating plays exploring Jewish life. A Tiny Piece of Land by Joni Browne-Walders and Mel Weiser is an absorbing mix of family drama and political propaganda that was first staged in Los Angeles in 2010.
The drama centres on the reunion of long-estranged brothers Barry and Yosi. For several years, Yosi has lived with his wife, Aviva, and his daughter, Rachel, in a settlement on the Gaza Strip, where escalating violence and a government plan to move all of the homesteaders out of the area has made their lives unstable.
Barry arrives from Seattle, Washington with the news that his beloved wife was killed in vicious attack. Hoping to escape this violence, Barry soon finds that his brother and family are living in an area under constant threat of Palestinian attacks.
When Barry expresses his belief that the Israelis are as much to blame in this ongoing clash as the Palestinians, it riles his niece, Rachel, whose boyfriend is involved in the conflict. Barry's arguments with Rachel, as well as his talks with his brother, focus the play's political message. When Rachel insists that all the Jews really want is a "tiny piece of land" to call their own, it may sound simplistic, but after a missile attack devastates some of their friends, everyone begins praying for peace to be given a chance.
The play realistically shows this family (like many others in the area) trying to get on with their daily lives with a constant threat of violence hanging over their heads. Much of the time the family is setting the table or offering to pour each other coffee. The daily conversations give it a feeling of realism, but it soon becomes mundane.
The history of the area is woven into the political discussions as Yosi, Rachel and Aviva try to educate Barry (and the audience) as the show develops more and more into a message play.
There's nothing wrong with message plays, and the arguments put forth in A Tiny Piece of Land are provocative and well-reasoned. The audience very quickly becomes emotionally invested with these four characters, thanks to the sensitive direction by Weisberg and the beautifully detailed performances.
Nicole Marie McCafferty gives a particularly compelling performance as Rachel, with Tara Nicodemo in strong support at the patient, sometimes dour mother.
Geoff Kolomayz brings warmth and understanding to the role of the husband, father and brother trying to keep his family out of harm's way, and Bob Legare is model of repressed anguish as the grieving American brother.
The play is moving and frequently involving, and offers some interesting points of discussion, yet it can't help but focus a little too much on the message.
A Tiny Piece of Land plays until Jan. 15 in the studio theatre at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5050 Yonge St. Call the box office at 416-781-552 or visit the website at www.teatrontheatre.com
FRONT ROW CENTRE: Moving message in 'A Tiny Piece of Land'.Geoff Kolomayz, left, Bob Legare and Tara Nicodemo appear in a scene from the play, 'A Tiny Piece of Land', being presented through Jan. 15 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Photo/KATHERINE VERENDIA
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