Last week, the non-voiced "Hallucinations" play concluded its shows at Al Hanager Theater, Cairo Opera House. SEE News reporter attended the show to give the readers a detailed review for the play.
Based on some of William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Vince" incidents, the play used some of the Shakespearean morals to depart to wider humanitarian values and morals. So, the audience experienced some changes of the temporal and the spatial scope of the play as the events stretched from the time of Shakespeare's play events to the nowadays.
Therefore, the set up of the stage was somehow simple, but rich of symbols. One of the most expressive pieces were the complex attached to the stage which was used for certain performances and Romantic scenes, the two detached desks that reflect the differences between "Merchant of Venice"-influenced characters, and the closet which helped the characters to change their looks easily.
The looks and the costumes employed by the performers helped the audience to differentiate between the scenes taken from the play, and the post modern commentaries done by the director Mohamed Abdullah.
All critical human emotional dilemmas were well expressed on the stage, the feeling of love and passion were symbolized by the funny scenes of how the two lovers dated each other for the first time, and through the emotionally reflected "The Merchant of Venice" Portia's innocence and humbleness.
Also, the darkened hidden hatred and jealousy were beautifully depicted through the simple side arguments and fights between the characters and the Shakespearean adopted conflicts.
One of the magnificent scenes of the play is how the employer can control the employees, and drive them to strange, and unjustified actions. Moreover, the usage of the watch, classic desk, costumes variety helped the actors to switch from one to another smoothly without harming the focus of the audience.
Musical selections through the scenes were beautifully blended, all of them wandered between the classic epic tunes that backed the most tensioned scenes such as the contract signature scene, or the court scene, in addition to soft and warm melodies for depressive scenes such as the scene of letters writing and flying papers from the venues ceiling on the main three actors in the scene, and romantic vibes for performed romances.
Despite the difficulties of performing non-voiced, mime, and physical theaters shows, the performers did well job throughout the play. Amira Ibrahim, Reem Essam, Abdullah Sultan, and Abdel Rahman El Kady did unbelievable work and performances on the stage despite their young age, their talents are almost like professionals. They succeeded in enriching "Hallucinations" with their impressive physical performances and facial expressions employment.
Omar Ezz, the guy whose mind connected all those scattered emotional thoughts on the stage, and Mostafa Hozayen, the controller of the temporal dimensions of the show, presence strengthened the concept of the play that addresses the internal parodies, and conflicted thoughts as the play calls the audience to see their own hallucinations, ups and falls, good and odds, and right and wrong on the stage. Those concepts truly affirm and reflect Shakespeare's description of life as stage, and all people are actors.
Regarding the three major characters of the play performed by Jeorj Fawzy, Moatassem Shaaban, and Nesma Adel, they were stunning. They knew how to control the sequence of the events, the speed of the incidents, and to bridge between their emotions and the audience, especially, Adel, she was a shining star on the stage, she knew how to use her eyes' movements, the probes around her, the movements of her body, and she managed to give the audience the difference between a love in modern age, and Shakespeare's lifetime.
It is wonderful to see such a vivid, well acted, and scripted mime performance such as Hallucinations which was able to interact with wide categories of audience. The director Mohamed Abdullah did unforgettable job and he mastered the usage of every tool he had such as script, performers, stage, light, music, and probes.
Regarding the best scene of "Hallucinations", it is the court. The performance of this scene was breathtaking and it was well depicted and acted on the stage without losing its Shakespearean colours.
It is worthy to mention that the show received a very good reviews and it was praised by several critics and popular stars such as iconic actor Mahmoud Hemida.
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