Making its world premiere in Sheffield this week, Lines an intense, insightful, and immersive piece that deals with questions that are really ‘of the moment.’ From the moment I walked into the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse theatre I was drawn in by John Rwothomack and Fidaa Zidan laying out pieces of paper. I couldn’t initially see what they had on them, but they were soon revealed to mark key dates in Ugandan and Palestinian history, as well as in John and Fidaa’s own lives. Some of these dates provided inspiration for the five scenes enacted in the play, each of which demonstrated the impact of British imperialism on Uganda and Palestine.
I thought that the choice to focus on the fact that Britain built the first ever prison in Uganda and the first modern prison in Palestine was striking because it showed the direct, human consequences of colonialism. Rwothomack and Zidan took on various different personas during the first four scenes, acting out imaginary yet realistic situations that would never have happened without British imperialism. They dealt with heavy topics such as death, homophobia, racial stereotyping, and torture in a consistently intense and engaging manner.
The final scene was very personal to Rwothomack and Zidan and, personally, this was the scene that I found the most heart-breaking because you could see the pain that was being experienced on stage. Throughout the play there was a heavy use of music, song, dance and movement which all helped to express the personal nature of the work.
I thought that part of what made Lines so impactful was the use of a simple set. The Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse is an example of a black box theatre, so it is perfect for experimental productions such as Lines. They used what looked like small-scale industrial poles to creates different spaces on the stage so that each scene could be given its own set. The lines created by the poles also allowed Rwothomack and Zidan to step outside of the main square in between the scenes and take back their own personalities again. These brief moments of relief allowed for a dissipation of the tension they had built and they even provided some comedic moments provoking laughter in the audience.
Overall, I absolutely loved this production, and I would really recommend going to see lines if you get the chance. It is in Sheffield until March 9th and then it is touring to Derby, Lancaster, Harrogate and Scarborough before going to New York in May.
Rating: ★★★★★
Lines is playing at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse until March 9th & is touring the U.K. until April 6th
