The description for “Palmyra” sounds heavy: a show with only two men, full of broken plates, and named after a Syrian city known for its incredible art and architecture – which was tragically destroyed by ISIS.
And “Palmyra” is heavy – but also funny and sad and relevant. The actors, Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas, make us laugh right from the beginning. As soon as the show starts, the audience is amused and perplexed. Although I didn’t fully understand what was happening on stage, I laughed along with everyone else, feeling discomfort at my amusement.
The stage began bare, but Lesca and Voutsas used the whole thing masterfully. They were playful and silly, but also conniving and horrifying. They asked us to judge their actions, but we did not know who to trust. At first, it seemed like the story was clear: I believed what I saw in front of me. But as the actors revealed more information, I slowly realized I could not trust them or my own judgement.
The two actors are deeply personal, but the name ties the play into larger political themes. Their mix of physical theatre, audience interaction, and symbolic actions is brilliant.
It’s rare to see a play so skillfully explores the human condition. This is theatre at its best where performers illustrate complex themes of trust, power, and consequences with simple words and actions.
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– Bethany Dobson