Writer: Yasmeen Audisho Ghrawi
From the Daughter of a Dictatoris a new one person play written and performed by Yasmeen Audisho Ghrawi. The play is almost a scrapbook of memories that Ghrawi shares, offering an insight into what it was like to grow up in a dictatorship (Baghdad, Iraq in this case) and the impact that has had on her experiences elsewhere in the world as she moves to Beirut, then to Berlin, eventually landing in Britain.
Ghrawi’s writing is great, pacing the piece well. However, due to its fragmented nature, it can sometimes be challenging to keep up with where are in the timeline. Throughout the show, Ghrawi educates the audience about the political situation in Iraq over the last couple of decades. She also provides challenging commentary on and insight into the political context of the UK in the present time, and ponders how dictatorship may not be as far away as we think.
Ghrawi is a wonderful actor, with excellent physicality. She portrays lots of characters, each one fairly distinct, and her performance (capably supported by the effective lighting and sound design) allows the audience to be able to position the action without too much work. Ghrawi has the audience in the palm of her hands straight away, and creatively incorporates some moments of light audience participation. This adds a level of authenticity to the show, making it clear that we are hearing about Ghrawi’s real life experiences rather than a fictional character. It would have been good if a little more humour and lightness had been found in some moments, as the piece does feel quite heavy throughout.
From the Daughter of a Dictatoris an insightful and important piece of theatre, and was a fitting culmination to this year’s Migration Matters Festival. Your reviewer looks forward to seeing how the play continues to develop and what other exciting and important theatre Yasmeen Audisho Ghrawi may create in the future.
Reviewed on 24th June 2023.