Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not an Arab eyes? Israeli-Palestinian co-creation following four friends and how mandatory conscription to the IDF affects them. One wants to get out, one's a pilot, one was never drafted, one's torn inside. A raw multilingual, physical portrayal that exposes the consequences army life has on the mental-health of the teenagers enlisted. It explores themes like protest against war, self-harm and what it means to be Israeli and peace-pursuing; the critical voice for coexistence under the pressures of politically motivated violence. Who's a rebel? Who's a patriot?
Rebels and Patriots, an Israeli-Palestinian co-creation written by Nadav Burstein, is a delicate combination of spoken word, movement, and music along with some more traditional storytelling, compiled of personal experiences lifted directly from journals he wrote during his time serving in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). There is a mandatory conscription process in place in Israel, meaning that all citizens are required by law to serve (unless they meet the exemption criteria) a minimum period at the age of 18 (unless there is a case for deferral, although there are strict guidelines for this).
The vast majority of young people in Israel view being ‘called up’ to serve as a right of passage and are proud to do so, and this show is a very welcome look into how four young men can have such different reactions and opinions surrounding this. The story follows these four friends as they explore what mandatory enlistment really looks like to them. One is exempt on medical grounds, one is in the air force, another is on the front lines, and the last I believe is in the navy.
I’m going to be completely honest, I was incredibly apprehensive going into this show. To put myself in such a vulnerable position while themes running through this show are such politically hot topics made me very anxious and while fearing for my safety on a daily basis as it is, I saw that I was potentially throwing myself directly into the line of fire. This was only exacerbated when, upon entering, the audience were asked a politically fuelled question and handed a slip of paper and a pen to write down an answer. However, what unfolded during the course of the show proved itself to not really be political at all. In fact, I’d almost be inclined to say that it was unnecessary to bring into the show. However, considering the themes explored within the play, I can see how it would have been impossible to ignore current events, but any inclusions were quick and appropriately handled with sensitivity, to the very clear and deliberate exclusion of bias or judgment. The entire company should pride themselves on how impressively their show deals with discussions of this nature.
The actual heart of the show is an essential look into the crisis surrounding men’s mental health, and very specifically that of those in service, and the exceedingly more complicated layer added as a result of the mandatory service policy enforced on Israeli citizens. As an audience member, I felt like I was listening in on the private and personal conversations these guys were having, and I was almost uncomfortable with the intimate nature of what I was observing; almost as if they weren’t conversations intended to be shared or overheard.
We listen as they question how and where they fit into the world, what it really feels like to know they could be forced to kill other human beings, and what they should dress up as for Purim (a clown of course). It carefully explores the devastating effects that trauma can have on a person and those surrounding them, as well as the harsh realities of PTSD and incredibly real danger of not providing or being able to access the correct support.
This show sparks some incredibly important thoughts and conversations and is essential viewing in this current world.
You can book tickets to see Rebels and Patriots, here.
Review by Rachel
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