Hierarchy of needs

Hierarchy of needs turns a visit to Backa Teater into a basic need.

With an open and light way of acting, an investigative approach to the essence of theatre and through repetitive retakes, a poignant discussion on life and death is created. Constantly in relation to the parallel Syrian reality (or fiction) appearing on flickering screens.

Different time zones, places and artistic expressions are simultaneously present together with an urge to cross the barriers between then and now, rulers and the people. The intention might sound pretentions, and had not been possible without the effortless acting style mastered by the ensemble.

It is as if the entire play is momentarily created in front of our eyes and finally becomes a choreographed antiphonal about communication. Especially the ending is impressive with its dancing and the way in which the set design makes the ceiling and the floor exchange places. On a theatre stage anything can happen and be investigated.

The debutant Adel Darwish has written a multilayered, stubborn and heartbreaking script on humanity with tentacles straight into the war in Syria. It isn’t easily approached, but challenging and strong.

Darwish has high ambitions and a strong belief in his storytelling. He shows great confidence in the young audience of Backa Teater. The intense dialogue and the many repetitions could very well have become pretentious matter, but that is avoided not least through low key humour, for example when the ensemble makes itself known in the middle of the audience.

The set design is litterally woken to life when the roof sinks to a claustrophobic level and a group of young dancers take over the floor. The masterly street dance company Twisted Feet are behind the choreography, a heavy hybrid of modern and hip hop. The dancers move together in what has transformed into a symbolic, sinister sea of plastic. The end scene is approaching, and won’t have left anyone untouched.

The young playwright Darwish’ lines seem to fit the actors well and it is all through played with perfect pitch by everyone on stage. It is also clever how Darwish uses the theatre to engineer conditions within the politics of migration. Like when the actors suddenly demands to see ”papers” from each other that will proove that they are actors. When such documents are missing they continue by forcing each other to perform somehting that would show that they have indeed worked as actors, something which is of course impossible.

The playwright Adel Darwish impresses with his unpredictable and boundless debut on needs, power and being human. It is founded in the serious but several absurd elements makes it very funny.

Reality is set against philosophy, what is said against what is done. Often it is very funny, with rapid turns and unexpected linguistic twists but also with lots of recognition. The absurd is predominant but the gravity is allways present, both in general human needs and in the recurring insertions from Syria.