Category: Blog Post 9 (Page 2 of 2)

The Jungle was one of the most outstanding and moving performance I have ever seen.

Although I read the NYT article beforehand and did some research as to what I should have expected, my expectation were blown away. The set was marvelous. I really enjoyed how the stage was in the midst of Salar’s Afghan restaurant, and how the audience was seated as guests in the restaurants. I also appreciated the ability the actors had to stay in character before the play started. Even before the play began, Salar would go around offering Chai tea to the guests as he would promise an excellent dining experience. This really added to the authenticity of the production.

One of the scenes that evoked strong emotions from many was the scene that showed the footage of the body of a dead little boy washed up on the shores of Turkey. His name was Alan Kurdi. He was three years old at the time of his death, as him and his family attempted to flee the Syrian civil war in 2015. I remember seeing this photo floating in the news and social media for a prolonged amount of time, and for the play to connect this photo to the stories of the refugees at Calais was very moving.

Another scene that was very powerful was when the French government began demolishing the Jungle. Personally, I would have preferred some sort of trigger warning because I was not expecting such immense theatrical productions. I was completely scared and confused when the roof was lifted. There was smoke everywhere, blaring sounds, strange lights, a scary, dark figure with a bullhorn representing the French government and finally everything went black. A couple months ago, I was at a huge concert in Central Park where there was a false shooting which ultimately started a massive panic attack and a stampede. Because there was so much going on so quickly (with no warning) and the set finally went black, this scene really mimicked the atmosphere during that event and brought back unwanted memories.

All in all, I really appreciate the message this production was trying to send. It was trying to bring awareness to the global problem of the refugee crisis and did an excellent point of addressing the causes as to why people immigrate–something that is not explained all too well in the contemporary world. One issue that I did have, although it is not connected to the play or the production value, is the sense that many people in the audience need a form of entertainment, such as this play, in order to qualify these issues as a human rights issue not a political issue. Personally I feel that we are all citizens of the world, and it is in everyone’s best to look out for others and be informed about these sort of issues. Another thing that could have been addressed to the audience members is the fact that the refugee crisis at Calais, is currently and exactly happening at our southern border. There should have been some sort of emphasis on this, as we can be helping the same refugees, who endure the same sorts of hardships in search of a better life.

On the night of December 5th, I was mesmerized and astonished by the marvel that was “The Jungle,” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. The play was unlike any other I had seen or experienced. It was based on the refugee crisis in Calais, France and the setting of the play accentuated the feeling of being placed in the refugee camp. While I had not known about the complications and hurdles that plagued the lives of many refugees looking to claim asylum in U.K, I was slightly familiar of the overall situation regarding the refugee crisis. However, upon watching the play, all my prior impressions disappeared. The proximity of my seat to the entirety of the play really highlighted the personal nature of the play and it allowed me to understand the true and heartbreaking story behind the plight of the refugees.

One the most striking and moving moments of the play was structured around the question “when does a place become a home?” The scene that followed included the restaurant owner, Salar, and the community of the The Jungle as they celebrated Salar’s birthday. As Salar was presented by the cake, he was brought to tears as he reminisced about his hometown and his friends. He recounted the fact that many of friends claimed to have birthdays on the first of January due a lack of time at the hands of various wars. While he presented a humorous anecdote, he explained that although the Jungle was a horrendous place, it was starting to feel like home. This distinction between house and home really brought out one of the major themes of the play.

As I thought about Salar’s monologue, I criticized my own definition of a home. I have always associated my home with a house, a place where I live, but I understood at that moment that a home is far greater than just a living space. I realized that no matter the terrible nature of your situation, a home is where people care about you and will do anything to protect you. The materialistic nature our society has forced us take for granted all that we have been blessed with. However, as Salar explained, we can never take for granted what we have and we must always appreciate those who care for us.

Additionally, the moment when the audience was presented with the video of a child’s body washed up on shore, really brought the reality of the refugee crisis into perspective. It allowed me to disregard my own perception of the refugee crisis and the narrative regurgitated by the media. I realized that we are the ones who have the opportunity and the resources to make a change in the lives of those in need.

Overall, I was extremely impressed and moved by the play. It far surpassed my expectations and presented me with various ideas and issues to contemplate.

The other night our class attended a showing of “The Jungle” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The play completely exceeded my expectations. The performance space was transformed into a representation of the former refugee camp The Jungle located in Calais, France. The former encampment housed refugees primarily from countries in North Africa and the Middle East (i.e.: Sudan, Afghanistan, Palestine). The show was an overall captivating performance that represented both the hardships and the joys found within the camp environment.

One moment that stood out to me the most during the show was the restaurant birthday scene. In this scene, the Afghan restaurant owner Salar reflects on how much of an overwhelming experience it is to be celebrating a birthday with so many different strangers. Despite their different backgrounds, they can all come together to celebrate something universal. Salar makes these remarks as he blows out the candles to the birthday cake. Even in a struggle for survival the camp members could have time to enjoy themselves. It didn’t matter where everyone was from, what mattered was that they were there. Despite their differences, everyone could come together. The question that followed this scene was “When does a place become a home?”. This scene served as an answer to this question.

What made this scene so moving was the very nature in which the celebration was conducted, and what it means for me personally. I feel many of us take our own homes for granted. We view gatherings such as birthdays as commonplace in our American society. However, for people in such unfortunate positions, it is not always possible. Perhaps it is the celebratory nature of birthdays that make them so worthwhile. For the refugees, a day of survival may be enough to “celebrate.” The scene marked the very point in which the place (The Jungle) became a home. The camp was more than just a shelter for various  refugees, it was now a family, a family where things such as birthdays become the norm. The fact that Salar felt so comfortable to be with everyone from different origins made it truly remarkable. This sense of comfort is what made Salar feel so at home, in addition to making everyone else present so comfortable to be with him too. The scene also removed from the stereotypical image of a refugee camp of utter hopelessness and despair.

This scene was proof that there is always a home away from home, even under the least desirable conditions. A place becomes a home when the people make it so. It is the common feeling of family and openness that accomplishes this. Although we may take our own homes for granted, this scene was a testament as to what truly defines home. Home is not just a place of leisure, it is a place of comfort, comfort from the people we may least expect to receive it from.

Last night, we went to see the play “The Jungle”, based on the true story, at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. Formerly a church, the space was transformed into the most realistic remake of the jungle that refugees from multiple different countries including Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Palestine, and many other countries built on their own. Before being brought to my attention, I was never aware of the fact that the jungle existed, or the extent to the severity of the refugee crisis happening in the world. As you can imagine, having suddenly learned about this situation all at once, in addition to having the situation put to life before me at the viewing of the play, it definitely took an emotional toll on me. I had no idea what to expect before seeing the performance but in the end I was amazed by the entire show and completely moved by the messages sent out through it. I shed tears, I laughed, I was scared but also happy at times throughout the course of the play. It was probably the most powerful and moving show I have seen in my life, and I am thankful for having the chance to see it alongside my classmates as well.

One of the most powerful parts of “The Jungle” for me was when the French wanted to demolish the jungle, or the refugee camp, and the refugees had the chance to relocate. Most of them agreed to relocate, however Salar, the Afghan restaurant owner, felt he had put in too much hard work to forget about his restaurant that he built with his own two hands and start a new one. Salar told his most loyal helper in the restaurant that he should relocate with the others, because he deserved the chance to make it to the UK one day. In the end, all the members of the jungle stuck together with Salar and stood by him even when the police came in ready to demolish the camp site and the restaurant. This scene really struck me because although the refugees could have just relocated peacefully, they chose to stand together no matter what, and it gave me the sense that they were a real family.

Throughout the play, the refugees stuck together and created unity within the jungle, even though they were not from the same place. They created a family with members from all different countries and religions, and never let their differences get in between their unity. I feel this was one of the many powerful things about the jungle in itself. This play was truly an eye opener to me to the refugee crisis and allowed me to acknowledge and thank God for the life I have and to never forget the struggles others have gone through and continue to go through each day. Despite the horrible refugee crisis that all of these people were experiencing, they made the most of their situations and stayed true to their faith and beliefs through it all. There is so much to take out of the story of the jungle, and I am so glad I got to see the performance of the play because it was truly amazing.

On December 5, our class was fortunate to receive tickets to a production of The Jungle at St. Ann’s Warehouse. Because I did not know what the play was about and therefore had no expectations, I was completely blown away by the performance, actors, and story of the refugee camp called the Jungle. I enjoyed it so much that I even recommended it to family members of mine, telling them it is a must see.

Though I found it very difficult to pick one specific moment that stood out to me since there were so many profound and emotional moments, there was one moment I kept thinking about long after the performance was over. It was striking when the refugees refused to leave Salar alone in his restaurant even though the French police were going to evict that side of the camp. Mohammed and many of the other refugees tried to convince him to leave, telling him that they would rebuild the restaurant on the other side, but to no avail. Suddenly, one by one the refugees started marching into the restaurant because they refused to leave Salar alone. It was an intense scene and I could see the emotion on the actors faces as they embraced one another. Seeing them cling to each other as they awaited the French authorities was a beautiful moment that I kept picturing over and over again.

Watching this sense of unity and togetherness unfold on stage helped the performers convey an important message to the audience. The refugees all came from different parts of the world. This means they had different ideologies, points of view, struggles and opinions. However, once they were in the Jungle, all those differences didn’t matter anymore. The only way the refugees would survive and even find success in the camp was by working together, depending on each other, and supporting each other. This is why no one in the camp was going to leave Salar behind. Of course, they were going to try to convince him to come to safety. However, he was steadfast and unwavering in his decision to not abandon the restaurant that he had worked extremely hard for to build. Though dangerous, the other refugees therefore decided to stay with Salar and even risk their lives so he would not be alone. This moment taught me an important lesson about the need for people to come together and rely on one another, rather than argue with each other. I am joyed by the fact that I got to witness this and partake in the special opportunity of seeing The Jungle.

On Wednesday December 5, 2018 our class went to St. Ann’s Warehouse to watch a performance about The Calais Jungle, a refugee camp. Prior to the performance we each read and discussed four readings to familiarize ourselves with what The Jungle is, and to learn about what life in The Jungle was like. Freida, Rachel, Danielle, Esther, and I had a plan from weeks before to attend the performance together. I for one was very excited and interested to see the performance and how it was going to be executed. I was also very curious about what the scenery would look like.

Rachel was driving with an ample amount of time, but of course, with Brooklyn driving you can never know what will happen. There was an accident and we hit crazy traffic. We got to the theater 5 minutes late. We decided not to panic, and continued to walk around to “the glass door” entrance. The theater is in a beautiful area right below the Brooklyn Bridge and near the water, and the theater itself was very pretty. When we entered we were given our tickets and were offered two options. We were either able to wait in the backstage area or leave and come back when it was intermission, which was supposed to be in about 50 minutes. We decided to leave and walk around the area, because the theater was in such a nice place.

After walking around for a bit we returned to find out that we were locked out!! We were told that no one will open the doors for us until intermission, but no one knew when that was!! We didn’t get into the theater until after an hour of waiting outside, and by that time we were only able to see the second half of the performance. The first moment when the second half began, I was hooked. Although it took some time for me to realize what was going on, since I had missed the first half, I was quickly able to follow along and enjoy it. My eyes didn’t steer away from the performance. The emotion from the actors, the scenery, and the way we were seated all played a part in how amazing and well executed I thought the performance was. One specific part of the performance that stood out to me and surprised me was when one of the refugees appeared, holding a gun pointed towards Safi.  All of a sudden, the refugee shot the gun. I was not expecting the gun to make such a loud “BOOM” as it did. I jumped. I found this moment to be very surprising because I never would of thought that any of the refugees would turn on Safi, even if it was for such a short moment. Overall, the performance was really great and emotional, and I’m very glad I got to see at least a little of it. It was definitely an unforgettable night.

On Wednesday night, December 5th, I made a trek from my home in Gravesend, Brooklyn to DUMBO, Brooklyn to watch the play The Jungle. After arriving not even 5 minutes late with my fellow Brooklyn friends, Renee, Frieda, Esther, and Danielle, we were told we cannot enter the theater until intermission. The staff was very unfriendly and would not tell us when intermission was, so we were forced to wait in the cold for almost one full hour. We tried to compare our experience in the cold to a jungle. The trees and bushes helped us set the scene, while we anxiously waited to be allowed inside.

When we did enter the theater, I was shocked. I did not expect the set to be a maze with different rooms and look like the actual jungle of Calais, with shops and restaurants. When intermission ended, our group was escorted to our seats and I was fascinated to learn that we were sitting not in sections, but in “countries”. Our class sat in Ethiopia, but other countries included Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine. I was a bit shocked that they called it Palestine, and not Israel, but maybe it was something I missed because I missed the first half of the show.

It was difficult to understand what exactly was going on when the second act first started. I wasn’t sure who the characters were and what the setting of the act was. We were introduced to two characters, Beth and Safi, who I believe were people who acted as leaders in the refugee camp. Safi was a refugee himself from Syria. He cared about helping others, and was trying to help everyone else out before helping himself. This was very admirable and stuck with me through the second act of the play. When Safi was offered the onion, that represented his freedom, he initially declined it. While watching this I was rooting for Safi and saying to myself, “No Safi! Take it! You are the good guy here! You have spent too much time helping others, it is time to help yourself!” I think that Safi realized the same thing, and when he decided to take the onion for himself, I was happy that he was standing up for himself. At some point, you can only help yourself. I think I felt such a deep connection to Safi’s character because he reminded me a lot of myself. I always try to help others, and am very selfless when doing that. I too will usually sacrifice myself in order to assist those in need. Safi showed me that sometimes you need to just let your guard down, and take care of yourself sometimes.

I loved the play overall. I wish that I was able to see the first half, and really get the full experience, but I think it is really amazing that I loved it even though I was lost. I can only imagine what it would have been like had I got to see the entire plot progression.

On December 5th, we went to see The Jungle at St. Anns Warehouse. This play was the most intense and moving production I’ve ever been part of or got the chance to see. The production was so much more than I expected it to be and it was so eye-opening. Previously to our IDC course I had never heard about The Jungle to this extent, I knew of its existence but not much else beside that. To be flooded with so much information about it in a relatively short time made me somewhat uncomfortable but, that’s how we should feel when we hear of things like this. My flood of thoughts and information on this topic made me think of the place itself and how refugees were flooding in whether or not the current inhabitants of The Jungle were ready or not.

One scene in this play that was the most moving, was the last one with the man doing the monologue of his process of seeking asylum in the UK and how he wishes that he could go back to Aleppo and how if he ever did all of us would be welcome. There was something about these final words that made me think about the whole play, it made me think about how we need to be exposed to this so much more than we are, it made me think about our ignorance as Americans, it made me think about myself and my blindness from the rest of the world due to being born here, it made me think of one of my best friends who came here from Aleppo just a few short years before the existence of The Jungle. It made me think of so many things I was so overcome with emotions that I just started to cry.

The truth is, most of us do not know the experiences of the refugees, nor will we ever even begin to know them but, it is our job to understand them, to listen to them, to support them, and to stand in solidarity with them. The reason that particular monologue stood out to me was because the man, the speaker was on stage alone, so we were forced to listen to him and his story. While he was talking he showed us the video of present day Calais where the refugees are still in the area of The Jungle, they have no shelter, they are being actively removed forcibly by the French government. This got me thinking about how even tough he physical place of The Jungle has been removed, the people and the stories are still there. After I thought about France I thought about us, Americans, the US, and I realized that the refugee crisis is here, it’s in our home, it’s at our border right now where people seeking asylum are being tear gassed and dragged away from our country.

After this whole experience, I went and I spoke with my best friend I told him I understood him and that I will never claim to know his experiences but I will always understand the fact that the inside of him has suffered multiple deaths and that I felt so bad that his home now the US turned his real home in Aleppo, Syria into not a home at all. I empathized with him and it was just a whole emotional experience during and after, everything was emotional.

The refugee crisis is here, people are being gassed, children are being shot, and we have the audacity to call ourselves “the greatest country in the world.” I was thinking of this when I heard the sound of gun shots which made me scared and shaky because of my own traumas and I remembered the gun issues in our country and how so many people are affected by them. I wish there would’ve been a trigger warning or something to warn us that there would be sensitive material in the show.

Refugees are here, and they need our help, it is our job to call out our country on it’s wrong and help the people who don’t have everything that we have. It is our job to be the voices of the people who’s voices are currently being silenced by our government. We are the people, we are the voices of the people who need us. The French government is not blameless, the British government is not blameless, the American government is not blameless, the people of the respective countries are not blameless. If we are letting actions in our country slide that should not slide we are to blame. It is never enough to watch something and then make a post on social media and move on with our lives. We have to speak for the people who need us, we need to make them known for the time that they cannot make themselves known, we are responsible for the people who are dying.

I structured this blog post in short thoughts/ paragraphs because these thoughts, these stories are not mine to tell nor are they mine to portray, I am extremely privileged, as are most of us who live freely in this country, the stories of the refugees, their experiences, their survival is not my story so I will not tell it, I will not claim to know it, and I will not comment on them. Those stories are for us to listen to and process individually.  We should always note the last point in the speakers monologue, if he could go home to his city in Aleppo, all of us would be welcomed. Throughout everything that the refugees have been put through, they are still willing to accept people into their home, they are still willing to take responsibility and have empathy for those who need a voice and help. The refugees are doing this and they have died multiple times, we live freely and we still don’t.

The refugee crisis is in France, it is in the UK, it is in almost any country you can think of but, most importantly the refugee crisis is home, we have no excuses, and we are responsible.