Ellen Carr
It was the blurb of Silva Semerciyan’s Gather Ye Rosebuds that drew me in, claiming to bravely be addressing issues of female circumcision and failures of the Arab Spring. It’s refreshing to see a show in the Fringe brochure dealing with such powerful issues. Unfortunately the production wasn’t as brave as I was hoping for, and with its focus on family drama, it lent a little too close to the soap opera line for me.
This one-hour play, set in a family home in Cairo at a female circumcision party, is structured in two parts. In the first we see mother, Medina, and her friend Louise, the doctor who has agreed to assist with Medina’s daughter’s circumcision. The dialogue unravels in a Pinteresque fashion, the subtext weighing heavy until the inevitable explosion of all that has been kept subdued. Louise’s conscience is struggling to allow her to go ahead with the circumcision and what we witness is a vehicle for presenting the arguments both for and against. Although generally strong performances, I found it hard to engage with the speeches fighting each woman’s corner, finding what should have been a powerfully provocative scene more resembling a petty argument.
In the second half we enter the living room of the same house, where family and friends await Medina and Louise to conduct the circumcision. This is where we see the failures of the Arab Spring addressed, with Tamar Karabetyan giving a strong performance as Samira; she delves into the persecutions happening to women in and around Tahrir Square. A strong picture was painted in these moments; the audience was there in the square, with the men surrounding them and these horrible acts being perpetrated. I wanted more of this conviction, the emotion so strong we could almost put ourselves there both physically and mentally.
Gather Ye Rosebuds is well written and the performances are strong. Comedic moments are woven into a tapestry-like text that addresses not only its two major themes, but issues of how we find and define happiness, the role of customs and tradition in our lives, and the role of sex. It takes a certain amount of courage to air these issues on stage, and Semerciyan and Sandpit Arts are commendable for not skirting around anything. The problem is Gather Ye Rosebuds seemed to want to air too many issues, to the extent that it becomes just that – an airing. I felt throughout that we were being presented with the issues and arguments but not made to connect with them. I wanted to find myself feeling for and connecting with one of these characters, getting into their mindset and agreeing with their views. Arguments we can find for ourselves, but it is the place of drama to help us understand. Gather Ye Rosebuds made a valiant attempt but I wasn’t left with the issues pounding in my mind, as I feel it should with themes so strong.
Gather Ye Rosebuds played at the Brighton Fringe Festival. For more shows during the festival see the Brighton Fringe website.