Goats

I was excited by the prospect of a Syrian playwright presenting their work at the Royal Court, renowned for its experiment.  It was a chance to obliterate our idea of Syrians as victims and celebrate them as artists and as writers. It was an opportunity - but one that sadly failed to break even with expectations. Two star reviews have been generous.

Albeit a preview, approximately half of the audience left at the interval, which goes some way towards explaining the general verdict. Those who remained weren't exactly overawed with reward.

Royal Court Theatre

Every scene was too long, particularly in Act One, with far too many words saying essentially the same things. With less lines perhaps Abu Firas could have remembered his lines in his scene with Imm Ghassan. The scene following Abu Firas' suicide, could have given us a moment in which to ground ourselves in the enormity of the tragic truth behind the endless words thrust in our direction. Instead we're met with a huge unnecessary speech from Abu Al-Tayyib pushing the girl to stay quiet. A few stern lines would have sufficed, we understand what's at stake by this point. It might have helped him remember his lines too.

Ensemble characters had unnecessary speaking roles that really broke up the pace in the main scenes. Comments like 'that happened to my dad too' just needed to be said in the background and allow the scene to continue.

The Stage

There needed to be clearer differentiation between characters played by multi-rolling cast members. I did not recognise that Imm Al-Tayyib's was a different character than the presenter either. I could not always understand when the four boys were boys, or fathers who had lost their sons, or village men. Between the four boys there was no rapport, despite attempts from Ali Barouti. There were just saying their lines, not acting them, but maybe this comes from playing so many characters and having so many pointless lines. The scene outside Aby Al-Tayyib's home adds nothing to the piece at all. The constant back and forth between a scene of conflict that we want to see play out between a wife and husband kept being interrupted by four boys with nothing to say to one another. A waste of time.

Royal Court Theatre

There are two scenes I would like to have seen more of.

- Adnan and Abu Firas sitting side by side, lit by the light of a mobile phone, watching footage that reflects a hard truth at the core of the piece. It was a moment of let up for the father who had spent the first half saying the same thing over and over like a broken record and chance to see that there is a very real threat underneath the bleating from character and goat.

- The other is the conflict between Abu and Imm Al-Tayyib, knowing that in pushing the agenda and propaganda - their own son was put to death, using their own very words. It could have been a  powerful scene, another opportunity missed due to the interruption of four young boys. It gave us the conflict we so badly carved. I wanted to see more of Imm Al-Tayyib's struggle.

And finally...the goats. Oh God, the goats.

Royal Court Theatre

In the final scene I lost so much of what was said. The hooves of the goats were so loud that I failed to understand if the mockery was intentional or not. Either way, the wooden boards needed covering with some kind of sound dulling material - I could even hear them in the wings. On the most part I understand that the mockery was intentional, with the many words representing the voices of the world that often leave the truth silenced, the goats representing the irrational sentiments of those in power to tell the rest of us what we're fighting for, an inescapable web of lies and words and comedy that snubs honest speaking men and snuffs out good will.

The Stage

But there is a time for mockery. And when goats treading on a dead man received the most laughs of the evening, went beyond black comedy, we all applauded the cast in keeping straight faces. But the problem was that many of us began to watch the goats and ignore what was being said because the scenes were too long. They are a distraction. I liked that the use of real goats amplifies the horrifying gimmick of replacing dead sons with animals as well as acting as gimmick to pull in an audience but it was so much of a mess that the attempt to lift meaning from the rubble was smothered before we left the auditorium.

There are elements that carried weight but there is far too much on the words and characters that distract. Most importantly, it was at least an hour too long. It was messy and boring to hear the same thing over and over. It might just be the worst production I've ever seen. The lesson? When opportunity knocks, don't put on a play that manages to be 3hrs long and yet still say nothing - if you expect your audience to stay to the end - and don't invite the goats!

Links: http://www.theartsdesk.com/theatre/goats-royal-court-review-unfocused-and-muddled
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/dec/01/goats-review-royal-court-london-liwaa-yazji-syria-civil-war
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/dec/03/goats-review-royal-court-theatre-syria-lebanon
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/charming-cast-except-humans-goats-royal-court-review/

Grierson Documentary Awards - The Nominations

With the Grierson Documentary Awards happening tonight, I thought I'd look back at some of the stand-out nominations.

Among the films nominated for Best Doc on Contemporary Theme, is My Son the Jihadi (MSTJ) and Breaking into Britain: The Lorry Jumpers (BIB).

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MSTJ was the perspective we'd been waiting to hear from the first instance of Brits leaving to fight with IS. Who are these people, why are they leaving, how can their families let this happen - the doc gave us answers to most things, how easy it was to find yourself trapped, how it felt to be a part of a cause (a feeling you'd never felt before) and how grooming takes place bit by bit so that it doesn't seem so extreme. I'd seen a play earlier in the year 'Losing Our children to Islamic State' where this viewpoint was further explained. The only thing missing from both, was someone who had been there, who had joined IS and who had defected. I wanted to hear all the answers from them personally, because listening to a loving mother unable to understand the actions of her son, and mourning the loss of his life, twice over - just asked more questions. It was a documentary that explored the makings of how ordinary men and women spiralled towards extremism.

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BIB is another highlight. There was some great covert film-making at work here by Leo Maguire. The stakes were high, the risks obvious. Our cameraman even finds himself physically attacked by a police officer despite his journalist status. We meet men and women desperate to jump the border, regardless of the risks that accompany the crossing and the filmmaker doesn't shy away from that risk. It was a tough watch, but a good one too. Either of these films deserve the title for me.

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In the Best Arts Doc category, Amy soars to the top of my list. For someone who never truly appreciated her talent (I was only 11 when she sprung to fame) this was the side of the story I never got to hear. It portrayed the instant tabloid madness that came with her fame, and the overwhelming attention paid to all aspects of her personal life. It's a story about a young girl who just wants to sing. The things that come with it are often unwanted. The failure of those around her to recognise her suffering. The way that the success of her shows was put well before her well-being. It's a tragic story. Even on retreat across the ocean her father brings a camera crew - she's over it. Tabloids have long painted Amy in a negative light, as a bad egg, and Amy the film totally transformed the headlines I'd been fed throughout my teenage years about her. It's sad, I feel we all realised that too late.

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Best Historical Doc lines up My Nazi Legacy and Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners. Although it gave glimpses of investigative brilliance, I was disappointed with the latter I have to be honest. David Olusogo did a worthy job, but it felt very static. I wanted dynamic, it is slavery we're talking about after all. It felt a bit restrained to artefacts housed in stale environments and although the concept excited me, the content failed to match. My Nazi Legacy is top of my watchlist at the moment, so it'll be interesting to see how it does at the awards!

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For Best Science Documentary, it's no doubt My Beautiful Broken Brain that comes out on top (& it's now excitingly on NetFlix). The visuals were immersive, the story was intimate and the ups and downs were made all the more powerful with that. It explored the after effects of suffering a stroke that I'd never thought about and Lotje is completely inspiring. The fact this documentary exists is testament to her resolute ability to carry on, despite the hardships and emotional challenges that we witness throughout the film. It was a fascinating from start to finish and so well presented, a definite winner in my opinion.

bbc.co.uk

Best Natural history and Best Documentary Series, goes to The Hunt for some great wildlife cinematography, some intense life or death chases, some great music - need I go on. I don't need to say anymore than the Gogglebox contributors have already given us on screen - particularly following the scene of monkey vs monkey survival (I honestly had no idea that they ate each other). Best nature series we've had in a while I think.

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Best Entertaining Doc, Secret Life of 4, 5 and 6 years olds by a mile. I can't actually pin down what's so brilliant about it. I find kids entertaining anyway, but there's something about the psychology of it that absolutely fascinates me. I find myself thinking I'm a child psychologist in every episode. The challenges are brilliant, the fixed rig cameras expertly placed and the children brilliantly cast. It's just a great format and having  run around with a C300 shoulder rig for a taster tape for a similar idea, I have even more respect for the team that manages to construct and capture the brilliance.

It's nominated for best constructed documentary series too, alongside the tough opposition of Gogglebox and Hunted. Gogglebox gives us all of the emotions we like to experience through television in one sitting. Hunted likes to allow us to think we could escape the state way better (when actually we'd all probably be worse). And Secret Life, is well, see above. This is a tough category for me and I think any of the three deserve the prize.

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Best Cinema Documentary is hands down Cartel Land for me (now on Netflix too). I went to a talk about acceptable risk on productions at Sheffield DocFest last year and then saw this film, which blew the 'should-dos' out of the water. Watching Matthew Heineman capture gun fights made me hold my breath sure that the camera would hit the ground. Heineman evokes hope in his audience, in a rising leader against the cartels and a hardened vigilante member whose face told a thousand stories of its own. A doctor and family man, the story feels like your common good vs evil, and only towards the end do the lines appear to blur. It's got some great cinematography and the story is brilliantly crafted to allow the audience to witness the same feelings of fear, hope and hopelessness as the Mexican people, from the comfy seats of a cinema. He won the Tim Hetherington Award for a reason and he deserves this one too.

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The last category I mention, is the Best Doc Presenter. Louis Theroux's Drinking To Oblivion just pulls itself above the others I think. To watch as Louis was powerless to help as a young man discharges himself and heads to the local off-licence - we wait in hope that he returns without a bottle. Louis conveys exactly what the professionals, families, friends of alcoholics feel every day. They hope, they support, they wait, they worry - it's a constant see-saw of ups and downs, never knowing at which point they'll get off. Seeing the young man walk through the doors and tell Louis he decided against it was a moment of victory for 'man vs addiction'. Great honest work from Theroux again. Give the man a Grierson.

That's it from me, over to the judges to announce the worthy Winners tonight, 7th Nov, 2016!

Life Inside 'Islamic State'

This was a great 17min animated short, created from the diary entries of one brave individual who kept track of daily life under Daesh rule. Where shopkeepers are taxed unlawfully, men are arrested for wearing trousers that are too long and women for failing to wear a veil. Where stoning to death is a just punishment and lashing and beheadings a daily occurrence. How can we possibly understand what it's like to live our lives like this?

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Animators Ross Plaskow and Scott Coello have done a brilliant job in portraying these scenes in ways that will not distance us as Westerners. It informs us, shows us only the humanity of the victims and does not aim to shock or turn us away from its content - which is important when all too many turn their backs on the problem. Not only are the drawings skilful, with the aid of dan Pollard's score, they are symbolic of the many meanings behind the look in a man's eye, of the acts of violence, of defiance and of despair.

bbc.co.uk

What came across most for me is the loneliness of a life in Raqqa. Attending any meetings in public places can see you accused of plotting against Daesh, you cannot see your friends, you cannot watch television to connect with the outside world, what can you do? There is nothing but the four walls of your home, and the sound and tremor of bombs dropping all around you. The world has deserted you. Our diarist is advised, 'Live your life without considering the present' - well what else can he do?

It is frustrating for me as a viewer as I too search for ways to act, to fight back, to help the civilians of Raqqa - but fail to come to any hopeful conclusion. All I can do is write this post and let someone somewhere know that I am thinking of them, that they are not forgotten, that they are not alone.

Find Life Inside 'Islamic State' on Iplayer, available until 9th April: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03lcxh7/life-inside-islamic-state

Children on the Frontline

A debut for photojournalist Marcel Mettelsiefen and genuinely my favourite Channel4 documentary...ever. I'm not convinced why, but the pacing and structure, the engaging contributors, the setting of the story at the frontline in Aleppo, the constant jeopardy of gunfire and snipers and some wonderfully emotive original music from Andrew Phillips made it the most compelling factual programme I've viewed in a long time.

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Mettelsiefen gained access to a family at the forefront of the Free Syrian Army's (FSA) fight. We were faced with the plight of 4 children, wise way beyond their years: 5yr old Sara, 8yr old Farah, 13yr old Helen and 14yr old Mohammed. All children of the commander of the FSA battalion at the front, Abu Ali Al-Saliba, now missing and presumed dead by the hands of IS militants.

www.stern.de

We also meet with a well-known face among the revolution, 13yr old Aboude, who spends his days rallying support, singing and encouraging others to victory with his pro-revolution posters. It's almost like some mocked up interview where it's been scripted by a 30yr old, but actually is completely devised by the brains of a 12yr old. It's astounding how much these children understand about their conflict, even more so, how aware they are of themselves. His mother even tells us how his parents tried to deter him from his work but how he cried for days and instead set to work making posters. Aboude is not blind to the dangers of his work either, he tells his mother that she should not be sad if he should die and sees his role as a duty. It's commendable, if not tragic that such a young boy should feel to hold the weight of the nation's hopes on his shoulders.

express.co.uk

The three girls of Abu and Hala spend their days tidying up houses that have been bombed by the Aasad regime where the youngest girl Sara, finds sporadic refuge in the toys of the children that had lived there prior. But older sister Helen is quick to remind her of her moral values 'it's wrong to take other people's belongings' and returns them to their rightful place. It's moving to see such clarity of goodness and judgement amidst a conflict that knows nothing of the kind. 

14yr old Mohammed also shares philosophies way beyond the childish woes we hear so often at home, as he states, 'What ever happens to the men, to my father, will happen to us as well'. Helen shares 'we will live and die with our dad...why should we leave him'. These children hold within them the hope for a better world and the loyalty and resilience of the people behind the revolution.

miscethoughts.blogspot.com

www.stern.de

Similarly we see how they still try to have a childhood, as Helen teaches her siblings as they cannot attend school, so that they have a hope in their futures. She also asks Sara to tell her about her dreams... she is encouraged to play and to dream, rather than to grow up too fast. “I just want my siblings to be happy…to feel the spirit of childhood, the spirit of play,” she says. Although we do see a moment, a flicker of doubt in their hope, when Farah describes how one man lost his head when a bomb exploded as he lit it. As she nods to tell us she saw the man after he had died we can only imagine the feelings she must have experienced. The hope falters further when we hear a shell explosion nearby, 'that was close by' she says rising from her seat. We see an instant change in behaviour that crushes our maternal empathy so much that it turns to dust. I cannot imagine what their mother must feel each day as her children play on a balcony targeted by snipers.

channel4.com

It was wonderfully shot, focussing on the children of the conflict gave a more honest account than I am used to. Adults reason, they cover up, they have agendas, children simply have their desire to be children and their very natural and inhibited responses to the questions they are asked. We cannot tear our eyes away from their fight, from their fear, cannot help but honour their resilience and cannot help but feel as though we have lost something when the programme ends without hearing the rest of their story.

I cannot stress how great I thought this film was. A really great achievement for Mettelsiefen and if this standard is anything to go by, I can't wait to see his next work.

For more visit:
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jan/23/children-on-the-frontline-syria-review
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episodes/children-of-the-frontline

Are We At War?

dezeen.com

Of course not, you might say. Officially, I guess not. But I'm talking about another kind of war. A war that sees innocent people forgotten about and cartoonists who dedicate their lives to making caricatures of those they disagree with, make worldwide news. 12 cartoonists are shot, and everyone's Charlie Hebdo but not once is anyone raising their hand to say anything about any of the hundreds and thousands of deaths that are happening around the world to people who have never said a word against anyone. Yes, the deaths are tragic and the killing is completely unjust. Yes, it is upsetting. Yes, free speech is important. Yes, the fact that Paris is closer to home is likely to cause a larger outpour of 'sympathy' and 'outrage' but whatever the reason for such a huge response to the Paris attack and the complete lack of response to anything else, even if that reason may seem compelling with the addition of a hashtag and more followers... IT'S WRONG.

mirror.co.uk

And David Cameron, where does he stand on all of this? Well yesterday he marched side by side with 3.5million others demonstrating their strength of feeling towards free speech and today, he decided that actually, all of that was bollocks and instead he's going to ban whatsapp.

Britain is at a turning point in modern politics where the likes of Russell Brand drive more public interaction with the subject than any politician of our time. It's a time where Twitter drives votes and UKIP is the go-to party for voters who are bored with the way things are - but then at least they bother to turn out and vote in the first place. The leaders of the parties are exasperating ridiculous ways to win public adoration, with Cameron's latest threat of refusing to appear on television debates without the presence of the Green party, either a wonderful stab at appearing to be a just and equal opponent or a step towards the naughty corner when broadcasts go ahead without him. It doesn't matter how bigoted, how ignorant or how wonderful the education at Eton was... the point is, that something is wrong with British politics and if we don't start looking for alternative ways to fix it, we're in trouble.

theguardian.com

I don't pretend to have the answers to everything, or anything in fact but I think a good place to start is the voting system. Of course, it would help if we had candidates we actually WANTED to vote for, not just ones we prefer over all of the others. But our 65% voting turnout is shameful. Almost 100yrs ago women fought for the right to vote which also caused the voting age of men to be lowered too. People lost their lives in that fight and now, most can't be bothered. Call it disillusionment, but those who don't vote allow the room for votes towards radicalism to rise. So why does the option to vote online not exist, to make it easy for them? People have jobs to go to and no time to spend queueing in a polling station. Online votes need to happen soon - either that or election day is made a public holiday for us to cast our votes, or we are allowed to take time away from work without the threat of no pay - as in some US states (California). It's a suggestion, which is far better than our current system, in MY opinion. We need to make it easy for voters.

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As I say, I don't have an answer for anything. But I see that there is a problem and I see the worth of free-speech more than ever. There are people around the world who hate the ways of the West and hate our politics. If I'm honest, I'm beginning to hate our politics too and banning whatsapp is certainly not the way to go about changing that. 1 in 6 of our population are over 65 and by 2050, that is predicted to rise to 1 in 4. Is this society the one we want to see our elderly relatives grow old in? The one that threatens the UK's position as a haven for those in need, for refugees and for asylum seekers. The one that values bigotry over equality. The one that will vote UKIP out of indecisiveness and naivety?

In my opinion, we are at war - with morality - and somewhere along the line, we have to start voting for it. We have to stop jumping on the bandwagon of the next Twitter hashtag and look around for other issues. Issues that we might ACTUALLY care about, might ACTUALLY rally to change and change people's minds in the process. Who knows, you MIGHT even solve it, someone's got to, coz it's not looking likely to be Cameron any time soon. After all, democracy means 'power belongs to the people', so let's remind our leaders just that...just a suggestion.

The Islamic State - Vice

news.vice.com

It's always hard to set aside your own views when reviewing a politically-charged documentary with politics you disagree with. The film in question is 'The Islamic State' by Vice News. The Islamic State is a Sunni jihadist group who formerly had ties to al Qaeda. It has conquered large areas of Iraq and Syria with significant speed, with aims to expand their current powers into a viable Islamic State. The documentary follows soldiers of the IS as they build up institutions in Raqqa, the Hisbah as they enforce harsh Sharia law and an educational doctrine that supports the belief that arming 10year olds with Kalashnikovs has no bad consequence. It is clear that these extremists will stop at nothing to preserve their belief and Vice stopped at nothing to show us this.

news.vice.com

The 43min documentary is a poignant one that gave us access to one of the most inaccessible groups of modern conflict. The film has been viewed over 3million times on youtube showing just how much documentaries about conflict and human interest should very much be shown as part of mainstream television. It seems a travesty that in the face of modern conflict, major world leaders shut off their media outlets to such programming and it could even be construed as a federal crime if the US government wanted to prosecute Vice or its filmmaker Medyan Dairieh as IS gained further media attention and gained a wealth of new media material. Of course, if that happened I hope that public opinion would ensure that the decision would be rebuked as this is one of the most relevant and poignant documentaries I have seen of late and one that should certainly be deemed 'of public interest'. The question should not be 'should we show it to the public', it should be 'do you trust your own citizens with the truth'.

Down to the documentary itself, it is one that is both informative and compelling. The map graphics help us to understand the scale of IS and the voiceover is crafted well to suggest that those who offer up loyal reactions to their harsh Sharia punishments, may not be doing so of their own free well, but merely for their own good. If they speak ill of the Hisbah, they will be punished so of course they are going to compliment their oppressors and champion what they have learned. The voiceover offers us enough as an audience to decide for ourselves, which responses are questionable.

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There are some interesting shots that are offered to us without the support of a voiceover too, allowing us to make up our own minds about the extremist views we witness. Perhaps the most prominent for me, was down by the river where children were washing and swimming. A teacher is introduced, followed by his son. His son seems unsure at first of whether he should say he is from the Islamic state or from his home land...but soon turns to talk of Caliphates, an Islamic state and killing infidels. Coming from such a young boy, it is clear that the messages are enforced young. If the message were just to have their own independent state then I would not have a problem with that, but arming ten year olds with kalashnikovs, murdering innocents, pushing out the Kurds and not allowing citizens the choice, is where that all goes wrong.

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The exclusive images of those young armed boys, of young boys travelling from far away villages to swear to the caliphate. It is a disturbing thing to see. There is a clip of a fourteen yr old boy angrily telling the camera how he will kill all of the infidels and he is not alone in his beliefs... is this what IS' interpretation of their own peaceful religion has come down to?

Vice filmmaker Medyan Dairieh took a risk in entering himself into the territory of filming in the state. Not only placing himself among extremists who deem the West as infidels... but also placing himself in a troubling position in providing the West with the documentary to view. In my opinion, this is what real news is. It is what real documentary is. Documentary is to document and what better document is there than one created within the subject. Dairieh is a brave man and the documented is a poignant and pressing one that anyone and everyone should watch. He gives us access to an inaccessible group of contributors and for that, I think we should applaud. More than that however, we should applaud the restraint of Dairieh in allowing us as an audience, to decide for ourselves what we think of 'The Islamic State'.

You can watch the film here.. remember to like, subscribe to the vice youtube channel and comment.

Red Lines

Tomorrow 26th September, the UK government votes yes or no to ISIS air strikes. Tonight I,along with a room full of documentary-goers at Rich Mix cinema in Shoreditch, London have shared a Skype call with two devoted Syrian activists, Mouaz and Razan joined by US congressmen Adam Kinzinger from the Syrian border, who urge MPs in the the UK to vote 'yes'. Not just for strikes on ISIS but also on Assad's airstrips that drop an average of 60 barrel bombs a day on Syrian civilians according to activist Mouaz. Using Congressman Kinzinger's own words, as heard in the recording below ..  The fastest way to kill ISIS is to kill Assad. But the recording is about much more than that, it about the plea of 9 million displaced Syrians and the many who have already perished.

Red Lines by Tvset on Mixcloud

Tonight I saw the struggle of these two activists as they have spent the years since the beginning of the revolution, rallying UK MPs and US congressmen to offer more than just lip service and to deliver on their promises to support moderate civilian forces, provide humanitarian aid and strike Assad in retaliation of his ongoing disregard for the red lines laid out. Even today there is news of more chemical attacks on civilians and yet, we hear nothing. 

This Skype conversation was not sensationalised, it was not for the media, nor for the newspapers, and activists, UK documentary goers and congressmen alike, could plainly and freely express their horror at the continuing of a genocide that has been deemed acceptable and forgettable by the West.

Razan and Mouaz

Now, as our UK government votes, I say no more and instead urge you to listen to this short recording of a short part of our Q&A tonight to decide for yourselves that we should rally our UK MPs to vote yes to military action against ISIS, who share mutual aspirations as Assad...' Support us or support them, either way one of us will rule you'. 

Following that, it is more than military action. We must provide support for the creation and continuation of civilian police forces and support for the FSA, vetted through the right channels and with the help of those on the ground who know the good from the bad. It is about condemning Assad and retaliating when he assaults the freedom of unarmed, innocent civilians. He can no longer tell us that he targets militants. ISIS remain untouched and unchallenged. They are not the same entity but they share the same aims. If we do not wish to say yes to air strikes that may unavoidably kill innocents, then we must push and push for the UK government to instead strike Assad airstrips. Destroying airstrips is to save thousands.

A few months ago I sat across the table from congressman Cicilline in Washington DC who expressed he did not agree with the failure to act against Assad. US congressman are voicing their opinions, so when the bell rings calling our UK MPs to vote, whether it's a yes or a no, they must at least be rallied to deliver on their promises and #FreeSyria. I will not turn a blind eye to dying children, nor will these two wonderful activists and their networks, nor will the humanitarian charities who work to give aid, such as Iman Mujahed of Hand in Hand for Syria but this, is not enough. Syria needs Western governments to intervene.

The rest I will leave to Razan and Mouaz, and to congressman Kinzinger. And if you can find a way of watching the documentary 'Red Lines' then please do.