REVIEW | Penguin, Live Theatre, Newcastle
★ ★ ★ ★
Reviewer - Stacy
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Stories bring people together and some life experiences shared can challenge and advocate for change…whether that ignites a change in a single person or a nation, this is the power of connection. Hamzeh Al Hussien’s life story spans the Syrian mountains, through a refugee camp in Jordan to arrive in Gateshead. There’s music, dancing, audience interaction and marbles, which all work together to produce a show that is captivating and moving. Hamzeh is a charismatic and engaging performer who is at ease in front of an audience. He brought his story to life through narrative and movement with energy, humour, charm and empathy, to deliver a story that needs to be heard.
The piece moved with pure ease on stage due to the capable direction of Amy Golding and the movement director, Nadia Iftkhar. Together they created a visually appealing quality to the piece that flowed freely from start to finish, with no hesitations or disjointed moments. The humour was pitched perfectly to bring joy and smiles to each and every person sharing this experience with Hamzeh. Although I do feel that the tougher moments could have dug that little bit deeper to show a fuller reflection of life as a refugee which, in turn, would make people sit up and take notice of the harrowing nature of this life experience.
The bilingual nature of the piece encouraged a narrative delivered in both English and Arabic. Projection screens displayed translations in Arabic on stage left and English, stage right. However, I was in a restricted view seat which meant that I was unable to see the English translations which resulted in important moments of the piece getting lost in translation and I wasn’t the only person struggling with this issue. Due to the constant flow of movement throughout the piece, and without the aid of mics, I felt that some of Hamzeh’s projection and diction wasn’t always fully clear. This made some parts a struggle to understand and absorb.
Penguin is definitely a special piece of theatre. It’s one that will capture your heart, showcasing a story that deserves to be shared with the world.