Angel by Henry Naylor.
Directed by Michael Cabot. Presented by
Holden Street Theatres, Edinburgh Fringe Award in association with Red Beard
Productions and Gilded Balloon. Holden Street Theatres – The Studio. February
14 – March 19. 2017. Adelaide Fringe
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
Every now and then I come across
a play that is utterly compelling, harrowing in its content and yet reminding
us of the horror confronted by innocent people suffering the terrors of war,
oppression and brutal injustice. Angel by Henry Naylor, directed by Michael Cabot and
performed by Avital Lvova is such a play.
Based on a true life account of a
young woman’s fight against Daesh in Syria, Angel
is a powerful and unforgettable reminder of the intolerable misery faced by
millions of people caught up in the struggle against tyranny, terrorism and
man’s evil inhumanity to man. It is a cry for compassion, a salute to the absolute
admiration for individual courage and a plea for action against the forces of
evil that destroy people’s homes and lives and force them into a bleak battle
for survival. History is the recording of such struggles through the ages and Angel is a story that demands our
attention and our action.
Lvova takes the audience on a
riveting journey through the terrifyng experiences of Angel, who leaves home on
a quest to find her father who has gone to defend Kobane against the invading forces
of ISIS. On the way she faces the perils of war, seeking help, avoiding
discovery and eventually joining the Kurdish Pshmerga group of 10,000 strong
women to combat Daesh. She becomes a sniper, trained to kill and prevent the
Jihadists from entering Heaven.
Henry Naylor’s account ends on
the tightrope of heart stopping suspense as Angel confronts her nemesis Waheed, a boy from her village,
who eventually joins the Jihadists . There are claims that Rehana the Angel has
been decapitated by the invading forces of Daesh and claims that she has
escaped after killing 100 ISIS fighters. Whatever the truth, Lvova’s intense and
gripping performance under Michael Cabot’s direction reveals in graphic detail
the desperate fight for survival by the women of Kobane. In a society often
regarded as misogynistic, the example of the Pshmerga is a testament to the
equality of men and women, combating the forces of evil in a brave and sacrificial
battle for equality, justice, and freedom.
In the blood of brave martyrs
flows the hope for freedom, as it has done throughout Time. Angel
is confronting, challenging our notion of war as merely a Man’s conflict.
Men, women and children die. Men and women fight to overthrow evil and all
humanity bears the scars of battle. On the battlefields of Kobane,an Angel
descends to save the righteous from the cruel oppression of the dark forces of
Daesh. She is a woman who dreamed of justice through study of the law, who dreamed
of the power of education and the profit of freedom, and who sacrificed the personal
dream to enshrine it in the fight for the innocent and the good.
Angel will continue its tour after the Adelaide Fringe season. This
is theatre that confronts our notions of women in the battle against ISIS, and
demands through its grim reality our understanding and compassion to recognize
and respect the responsibility of the free to harbor and provide for the
victims of the enslaved and oppressed. If you have the opportunity to
experience this outstanding production, it must not be missed!
