Browse > Home / News / Opening: The Arab & The Jew at Contact

Opening: The Arab & The Jew at Contact

March 27, 2008

Drawing on personal experiences of the Arab / Israeli divide, this explosive physical performance takes us on a journey through brotherhood, loyalty and conflict.

Plummeting onto the stage, Al and Amit tumble from scene to scene with characteristic physical skill. They invite the audience into their territory and engage in a careful ‘dance’ of reason and conciliation, exploring the deep-rooted allegiances that simmer beneath the surface.

Together they explore their personal identities and the complex dynamics of their relationship. The diverse soundtrack and powerful visual direction will move, excite and involve its audiences.

Amit Lahav comments: “In many ways our artistic sensibilities are born out of our non-English backgrounds. We share an exuberance and otherness with which we express ourselves and communicate artistically; a direct influence from our parents, grandparents and relatives and our experiences. The co-existence of these differing inner loyalties was the starting point of a new Gecko show - a two-hander involving the company’s two artistic directors..”

Physical theatre company Gecko was founded in 2001, fuelled by a shared response to theatre which for years had left its directors feeling dulled and uninspired. Characterised by an overwhelming abundance of energy and vitality, each show promises movement, athleticism, endurance and emotional impact.

This long awaited new work follows Gecko’s 2005 hit The Race, which won a coveted Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s legendary Aurora Nova venue. Gecko were named Time Out Critics’ Choice of the Year 2002, Guardian Pick Of The Fringe 2002 and were Highly Commended for Best Off-West End performance in the Time Out Live Awards 2004 for Taylor’s Dummies, their first show. The Arab & The Jew is now on tour following three sold-out weeks at the Lyric Hammersmith, London this February.

The Arab & The Jew is Gecko’s third collaboration with the ‘indispensable’ Fuel (Guardian), who won a Herald Angel Award at the Fringe 2005 for their work with dynamic new theatre companies and artists.

“A bleakly funny, brutally painful comedy. Imagine Newsnight performed by the Marx Brothers and script-edited by Beckett.” Evening Standard

“Gecko combines a deliciously warped imagination with all out physical daring.”
The Times

The Arab & The Jew opens at Contact from Thursday 3rd until Saturday 5th April, 8:00pm.

Ticket prices are £10 / £6

For further information, please visit contact-theatre.org

-Glenn Meads

Filed Under News 

Comments

Comments are closed.