‘An extremely human show’
What a shame that SESTERCENTENNIAL showed for just one night! But the greater the privilege to see it in person, for this apparently simple play showing at Bread and Roses Theatre could scarcely have been better performed.
Writer, director and performer Arif Silverman takes us quite literally into the meanders of a young conservative Bangladeshi American’s brain on the eve and day of the USA’s 250th birthday. Navigating the complexities of an identity not fully American, nor fully Bangladeshi, the young Hamza experiences an identity conflict that a vast majority of Londoners may identify with. Even if the resonance may not be here, it is difficult not to get absorbed into the character’s thought spirals since the public quite literally becomes Hamza through the second person narration. This immersion comes to its simultaneous climax and conclusion at the very end, with the audience invited to speak as one voice, representing the main character’s profound realisation of his misguidedness.
The themes also grapple with the current generation’s obsession with social approval, social media, and the tendency to live more and more in one’s own head, behind a screen. This is shown through the fact that the character is alone through most of the play, if not communicating to others through devices. This isolation culminates in a sort of paranoia in which Hamza obsesses over every text message or Instagram story view, a loop very recognisable within the younger generation.
Arif Silverman is a phenomenal actor, using every inch of his personality on stage, whether by using the space, his tone of voice, facial expressions or body language. He manages to incarnate every character in his narration to such perfection that there is not one doubt as to who is speaking whenever he replays a conversation. He even surprises the audience with a moment of beautifully moving singing, unexpected and much appreciated, showing the slow reconnection to Hamza’s family and culture.
Chiara Bowker does a great job at representing different phases of the main character’s realisations through lighting design, changing colours depending on the mood or types of thoughts Hamza is having. However, the lights occasionally seem slightly misplaced, with the transitions a bit too noticeable and distracting from the content, or the coordination between the light, sound and acting being a little awkward.
To conclude, this is an extremely human show relating the complexities of human relations, of the current political climate, and cultural identity, with a beautiful message to those who may be struggling to find their home: Your home is in your DNA. In other words, you carry it around wherever you go.