By Claire DeMarco
Sakinah (Milia Ayache) is in jail and under evaluation by Jenny (Dominique Briggs Jackson), a therapist assigned to evaluate and unravel why Sakinah committed a violent, unspeakable crime. It is not an easy task.
As Jenny draws Sakinah back into the past to determine what happened, flashbacks of the events unfold on stage. Sakinah’s close friend and lover, Fouad (Hari Bhaskar), appears in general conversation as they work together in a thrift shop.
A typical day at the thrift shop becomes a turning point for both of them. A new collection of glamorous, donated items arrives at the shop. Since the donor’s name is noted on the clothing, Sakinah and Fouad decide to each don a fabulous outfit and crash the donor’s gala. Fouad ups the excitement by also choosing a gown and going as a drag queen.
This impromptu gatecrashing brings Sakinah, Fouad, and Emily (Erika Krenn) into direct contact. It eventually leads to a growing relationship between Emily and Fouad. Tragedy strikes when the attraction becomes more permanent, and Sakinah’s evil act affects everyone.
Race, class distinctions, and immigration also insert themselves (sometimes subtly) into Sakinah and Fouad’s brief encounter, into a world they’ve never known.
Playwright Yussel El Guindi’s “Refugee Rhapsody” is on a premiere rolling tour with Pittsburgh as its secondary stop. Theater lovers should try novel plays, sometimes non-traditional, and perhaps ones you’ve never heard of. You may surprise yourself by looking at life from a different perspective. This new work by Carnegie Mellon graduate El Guindi embodies that outlook.
A powerhouse performance by Ayache. She is provocative, sarcastic, belligerent, combative, sensitive, but always on the defensive. With that plethora of adjectives, Ayache also delivers some of the play’s most speechless comedic moments, as her posture, facial expressions, and general attitude convey her annoyance as she watches Bhaskar and Krenn’s growing attraction.
Bhaskar’s character develops from Sakinah’s rather childlike cohort as he gleefully dresses as a drag queen to attend a gala they weren’t invited to. His feelings for Emily grow. His anger as his life is turned upside down is palpable, realistic, and strong.
Krenn delivers an approximately 8-minute speechless welcome to her unseen guests at the gala. Her gestures, hand movements, and smiles are fixating and believable. This delivery occurs while Sakinah and Bhaskar are in constant dialogue. Krenn is the epitome of a rich, white daughter whose benevolent nature appears to be genuine but could be unwillingly condescending.
Briggs Jackson is methodical, caring, and objective as she tries to unravel Ayache’s complexities. As their journey together continues, her outlook changes as her personal troubles also complicate her relationship with Ayache and her husband, Richard (Dionysus Akeem).
Akeem plays two distinct parts brilliantly. As Briggs Jackson’s husband, his whiny nature initially causes chaos in their marriage, but as Briggs Jackson becomes more involved with Sakinah after the evil event, Akeem becomes more sympathetic. His role as Waleed, a figment of Sakinah’s imagination, differs completely and effectively from his role as Akeem.
The design team, Johnmichael Bohach, Bob Steineck, Steve Shapiro, Alex Keplar, and Scott Andrew, contributes to the excellent set, lighting, sound, and multimedia environment of “Fugitive Rhapsody.” The many media photos and videos that silently appear on the stage are especially effective, often portraying what the actors are referencing or talking about. These images become an integral part of the story.
Director Elizabeth Elias Huffman’s vision and excitement for “Refugee Rhapsody” shine through in this production.
-CED
“Refugee Rhapsody” is a PICT (Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre) production. Performances run from October 9 to October 25th at Carnegie Stage, 25 W Main St, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.
