Turmoil is all 'Relative'

April 17, 2007

Reprinted from the Glens Falls Post- Star , April 17 2007

By Bob Rose

Saratoga Springs—The Skidmore College Department of Theater has mastered a challenging production of "Blood Relative" created by the Middle East Project Ensemble in an attempt to deal theatrically with the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The 90-minute stage play is a genuine attention-holder that offers no answers to the many divisive problems but concentrates on helping an audience feel the emotions that these problems arouse.

Featured in the amazingly talented cast is Ethan Weiss (class of '09) as the play's protagonist, Ibi, a young man born to a Palestinian-Muslim father and an Israeli-Jewish mother. Throughout the play, Ibi is struggling to find out just who he is, meanwhile suffering insults and injuries from both Arabs and Jews. His frustration erupts early when he suddenly trashes his apartment, reminding us of the chaos and destruction occurring throughout his country.

Weiss gives an overwhelming portrayal, making us sympathize with his character's dilemma of having an elusive self-identity. He is visited by his war veteran and now alcoholic Uncle David, effectively portrayed with a precise mixture of pathos and humor by Lary Opiz, a member of Actors Equity and current theater department chairman. Opiz also directs this compelling production.

Ibi confines himself to his apartment for the entire play, where he is visited by many people, some real, some imagined, but all playing a part in his struggle to find out just who he is.

His Palestinian grandmother and his Jewish grandfather, both now dead, haunt his existence, each trying to convince him he is really an Arab or really a Jew. In one compelling scene they tango with each other and with Ibi to illustrate their insistence that he truly belongs to them.

Among the living visitors is the cleaning lady, who lends an air of comedy with each of her weekly visits. Wanting to be left alone, Ibi tries to fire her several times but she keeps returning because she insists it is her job.

Protesters make frequent appearances, as do soldiers, all drawing our attention to the chaos and violence in the Mideastern world of which Ibi is a victim. He tries to remain neutral because he feels compassion for both sides, being a part of each. As he strives to convince himself that he is a human being, nothing more or nothing less, he is ultimately reduced in stature to a howling dog, crying out his pain.

Sometimes the only way to deal with impossible situations is to react with humor and that is very much a part of the production and culminates when a young lady in a TV-style discussion starts apologizing to everyone for everything, even rushing into the audience where she desperately apologizes to a fellow for the "shirt you are wearing."

Included in this most adept cast are Natasha Amendolara, Assaf Azani, Yori Ben-Haim, Allison Chansky, Julie Congress, Francesca Fanelli, Alexandra Klausner, Tom Qualtere, Alistair Spatz, Gabriel Weissman and Samantha Widder.

Lighting, props, and the sand-colored stone walls of Ibi's apartment all contribute to the overall feeling of the unfolding action. Music and other sound effects provide a genuine sense of reality. One leaves with the understanding that "Blood Relative" has more than one meaning and that there are no ready answers to the Mideast turmoil. But one senses the effect it has on those trying to survive it.

This is excellent theater with a purpose, and it succeeds triumphantly.