Set the timer. The everyday existence of a mother during a sweltering summer vacation: prepare meals, pack the bag, run the drill, repeat. With a dry wit and the determination of an Olympian, Mariam meticulously practices for the run of her life—the dreaded knock on the roof. Written by and starring Khawla Ibraheem, this unforgettable new play about obsession, survival and everyday life in Gaza is directed by NYTW Usual Suspect and Obie Award winner Oliver Butler (What the Constitution Means to Me).
Built on a foundation of obsession, instinct, and dread, A Knock on The Roof unfolds as a relentless monologue, barraging the audience with Mariam’s real-time commentary of everyday life. While this unyielding pace mirrors the terror of the knock, a pause within the text could let the audience absorb its weight fully.
A Knock on the Roof is strong stuff. The well-written monologue’s repetitive motifs of packing and running propel both Mariam’s harried narrative and Ibraheem’s urgent performance. In depicting a seemingly frail young woman in baggy mom jeans and white running shoes who turns obsessive in her pursuit of safety, Ibraheem creates the voices of Mariam as well as her several loved ones. Possessing a rich, alto voice matching her dark-eyed looks, Ibraheem speaks with a Middle Eastern accent that may be challenging for some members of the audience to comprehend, likely depending on where they are seated at New York Theatre Workshop. (During certain passages of the performance, I was losing every fourth or fifth word.)
2025 | West End |
West End |
2025 | Off-Broadway |
NYTW Off-Broadway Premiere Off-Broadway |
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