It's not often that a play has the almighty power to make an audience cry. A passionate round of applause is something a rarity and even then it is not usually followed through by all members of the audience. It was, therefore, deeply moving to witness the effect that A Promised Land had on its audience.
A Jewish woman has arrived in Scotland with a gun. Questioned by an army officer we delve in to her past and her hope for a promised land.
What you take from this play depends on where you stand on the Israeli/Palestinian question. The play itself does not really talk about it overly and it is set just after the Second World War, but we know where it goes from there and the road is long and very, very dark.
I got the feeling by then end of the show that my feelings were not quite the same as the teary eyed audience that surrounded me and so, for personal reasons, I could not give this five stars. Israel does a lot of things, in my opinion, that are flat out wrong and I could not detach that from this play.
However, I will give it a very strong four.
The performances by the two leads are extraordinary. Overwhelmingly passionate at times, clearly believing in what they are doing which is a wonderful thing to behold. A lot of what I have seen on the Fringe this year have come across more as a job, but this was something that the two actors believed in. Their souls were firmly in it and burnt like fire in their eyes.
The play is intelligent, funny and heartfelt, if perhaps a little biased at times.
Whatever side you believe to be right or whatever solution you deem to correct there is no denying that A Promised Land is storytelling at its very best. A powerful experience.
Times: 20-29 August, 7:30pm