Above: Writer and Co-Director Emily Ayoub, who played Amelia Alyssa.
A riveting piece of physical, emotional theatre is to be experienced at 25A Belvoir Street. A new play, Ruins أطلال from Clockfire Theatre is rich in theatrical treasures that unearth emotions and warmth buried recently or long ago.
This relevant work explores the ruins of the past and the rebuilding of human hearts. It offers motivation for us all to ‘dig in’ to our buried feelings and identity as it shares the hectic itinerary of a familiar, ordinary character on a trip to an extraordinary land.
This piece’s fluid chorus movements sympathetically accompany the tale of a Australian tourist of Lebanese background staying in Palmyra and accessing the astonishing ruins of the Temple of Baal, where once sky gods were worshipped and superstition reigned supreme.
We are instantly lulled by the short play’s huge lyricism, stunning performances and direction enabling us to view contemporary freelings on site at an ancient world. Creative Laura Turner’s period videos, family-favourite film excerpts and other footage projected on the prop door and other surfaces enhance the strength of memory with regards to both the homeland and family home Joe Alyssa has left.
A massive heart beats through this moving play. It especially beats in unison via the otherworldly link between Amelia and her father. Joe, drawn tenderly as an attentive father and grandfather, is recently deceased and missing out on the homeland excursion planned with his daughter.
This connection, familiar to many, bursts freshly buried memory by using onstage guardian-angel proximity, and is extremely powerful to watch. The expertly-paced ghost character of Joe Alyssa (played endearingly by Tony Poli) joins the Lebanese chorus in challenging us alongside his daughter and using the small space virtuosically with the agile chorus group.
Above: Tony Poli in the role of Joe Alyssa.
The ensemble, ghost character and attractive theatrical packaging in the intimate 25A Belvoir Downstairs Theatre space outlines the merits and encourages the worthwhile process of touching the past. We are shown the benefit of sharing stories with parents before it is too late, visiting our heritage in our mind then bodily-as a tourist or as local so we can guarantee ‘our hearts are strong’.
Like any memory of a loved one who has passed, this short theatre event packs quite a punch with expressive tools to create a dreamlike reality-meets-fantasy feel. The shifting tempi of action, shapes, shades of memory and slow-mo kaleidoscope of text delivery is well-accompanied by Johnny Yang’s effective music for solo flute (heard on opening night by Jessica Scott).
The storytelling here is sophisticated, elaborate, visually stunning and delivered in slick swathes. Use of props from a door to fabric as quickly morphing set structure moments is expert and fresh. The emotion, physicality and pace of this play is directed with finesse and a beautiful feel from the ensemble team by Emily Ayoub (playing Amelia Alyssa with perfect new-grief, flashback fragility) and Madeline Baghurst, who also performed in the chorus troupe. The well-chiselled script was written by these two talents along with Mine Cerci.
Above: Ensemble members Adam Alkuheli, Madeline Baghurst and Piumi Wijesundara.
Amelia leaves Australia, her daughter, ex husband and fresh trauma, for the trip her father now can’t join her on. However he joins her for this play in animated spirit.
The real-time and flashback scenes of both earthly and supernatural chemistry onstage between these two is electric. It shows impeccable timing, comfortable energy, facile vocal nuance and fine connection to the moment and audience.
Here the dream sequence-like flow, with its dose of new reality, meets the legends and stories of Amelia’s cultural heritage and memories of her direct relatives.
Her clear need for rediscovery, to ‘dig in’ to what always has been before it is lost is vividly displayed before us. This somewhat universal and familar need touches us vividly in this production.
The intersection of Emily Ayoub and Tony Poli, surrounded by the sprawling trio-chorus (the athletically evocative Madeline Baghurst with Adam Alkuheli plus Piumi Wijesundara) in commentary and cameo characterisation mode as well en route to the ruins of the Temple of Baal is a dynamic new-normal family we are hauntingly drawn into.
Clear lines of memory, hope, frustration and an overwhelming history away from multicultural Australia hook the audience in. History of wartime Lebanon is also referred to in word and projections. The 2023 Chorus Intensive Lab Clockfire Theatre conducted has contributed greatly to the energy and beauty of this show and a compelling use of the intimate space. Successful lighting design from Frankie Clarke includes the effects of reflection using simple techniques and basic props have great effect.We watch as the grief-stricken, culture-hungry trip back to the Baal temple rekindles a paternal family line of tradition. As extra facets of identity help to heal hurt, the swoop of this storytelling gets busier and reality blurs. This is a sensory excursion so relevant to Sydney and all families. There is more than a smattering of Arabic, delicious terms of endearment surviving despite relocation to Australia, and a yearning for loved ones to never leave as the excellently crafted main character duet reaches out across the beautifully busy stage to each other and out to us.
Above: Emily Ayoub and ensemble.
The environment created by the skilful ensemble and Clockfire Theatre Company’s employment of succesful theatrical devices ensure we are touched by this small work’s huge humanity. This immediate family story is gilded with a broader cultural identity and the desperation to be aware of who we really are, especially during times of crisis. Experience this layered environment! Un-bury your heart, respect who you are, where you have come from and plan how best to travel to where you must go next.
Ruins أطلال plays at Belvoir 25A until October 24
