Review: Finding Humour In Hopeless Situations, SAMI IN PARADISE Presents A Different Look At Displacement And The Refugee Experience.

Saturday 21st April 2018, 2pm, Belvoir St Theatre

Combining the force of some fabulous comic actors, SAMI IN PARADISE presents an absurd piece that utilises humour to address the humanitarian issues that are occurring around the world. Based on Nikolai Erdman's The Suicide, this adaptation by Director Eamon Flack and the company of SAMI IN PARADISE, presents a contemporary comedy grounded in the truths of the modern refugee crisis experienced in camps around the world.

Whilst the original work, The Suicide, was written in 1928 and banned by Stalinist censors in 1930, not being performed until 1969, the underlying plot still holds a relevance in the expression of the helplessness felt when control of one's life is removed. For this adaptation, refugee Sami (Yalin Ozucelik), who lives with his wife Maria (Victoria Haralabidou) and her mother Fima (Paula Arundell) in a UNNHCR tent in an unnamed refugee camp, is desperate for something to validate his existence and allow him to prove his worth. He feels emasculated in a society where he relies on welfare and what his wife's small earnings from a cleaning job can provide for them so dreams up ways of earning money to buy a boat ticket to freedom but when that plan backfires he plans on ending it all. The news of Sami's impending death draws in supporters, not trying to save him, but hoping to benefit from his death. Along with an insight into the life in the camps, this play within a play also shines a spotlight on the modern trend of keyboard warriors and social media activism where online petitions and blogs replace actual activism and the facts are continuously distorted.

With the premise of a theatre troop made up of refugees in the camp, Flack presents this work with a travelling troubadour style simplicity. Dale Ferguson (Set and Costume Design) utilises found objects to represent Sami's world, relying on audience imagination to believe the blanket with gaffer taped letters is a UNNHCR issued tent and a trombone bell and coils of copper piping is a tuba. The 11 performers cover the range of characters, generally with simple costume changes that even allow some performers to cover other genders and ethnicities as they represent the diversity of people in refugee camps around the world. Verity Hampson utilises a variety of lighting styles including torchlight when the camp's generator fails and performer operated spotlights when the full lights aren't representing a sunny day in the camp. Jethro Woodward's musical direction, sound design and composition, presented in collaboration with musicians Mahan Ghobadi (percussion) and Hamed Sadeghi (strings) adds a wonderful colour to the work and reinforces the feel that this is a story told by minstrels with Arabic inspired music which also heightens the mood.

Flack has gathered a great cast of storytellers who utilise facial expressions, physical comedy and vocal flexibility to present characters that are heightened in a pantomime style caricature. Of note, Paula Arundell's presentation of Sami's mother in law is hilarious as she utilises her expressive face to convey more than just the text as she dodders around, hunched over before 'transforming' into the 'glamorous' Fairuz, deluded that Sami is in love with her. Where Arundell is careful and measured, Yalin Ozucelik has an animated physicality to ensure Sami is seen as somewhat unhinged. Nigel Poulton has directed the movement to give the appearance of an improvised response whilst being carefully orchestrated, particularly evident in the slight of hand when props are swapped mid scene with smooth transitions.

Engaging the audience to laugh at the absurdity of the vultures that circle when Sami advises that he's going to shoot himself is an intriguing way of exposing the truths and ridiculousness of society. Charlie Garber presents a clean cut but ultimately oily operator Charlie Gerber hoping to use Sami's final words to further his charity, presented with an amusing South African accent whilst Vaishnavi Suryaprakash delivers a somewhat socially inept teenager wanting to capitalise on Sami's death to promote education of girls. Other characters add to the colour of the community with amusing costumes and subplots including Nancy Denis as power hungry but ultimately corruptible guard Adnan, the sleazy priest Farther Arky presented by Arky Michael and narrator of sorts Hazem Shammas as Hazem.

Seemingly stemming from a sausage, SAMI IN PARADISE is an amusing fanciful story presented in a pantomime and travelling show style. An intriguing alternate view of the challenges of living life where control of ones future is taken away along with the global refugee story, this is both entertaining and enlightening and worth seeing.

SAMI IN PARADISE

1 - 29 April 2018

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