Review: A DISTINCT SOCIETY at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

A thick black line divides the richly detailed library set of the World Premiere of Kareem Fahmy's socio-political expose of harsh and destructive laws separating families during the anti-immigrant hysteria of the Trump regime. That line divides the quiet library between Canada and Vermont, a space that had become a safe refuge for family gatherings, but now will become a battleground between light and dark. The arbitrariness of borders and the politics that create provides the backdrop of this gripping and very human drama.

Carrie Paff plays Manon Desjardins, the French-Canadian head librarian at the Haskell Free Library, a by-the-book who will be challenged by both romance with Bruce (Kenny Scott) a US Customs Border officer and the swiftly changing political landscape that destroys her sanctuary. Decklan Sheehan (Daniel Allitt) is a troubled youth obsessed with the Green Lantern graphic novels that protect him from his broken home life. James Rama is Peyman Gilani, an Iranian physician desperate to visit with his US-based med-student daughter Shirin (Vaneh Assadourian).

Each of the players will be challenged to the core; Manon, who dreams of being a desired femme fatale after a disastrous romance; Bruce trapped between enforcing unjust laws and his humanity, Shirin who is torn between following her father in medicine or becoming a chef, Peyman's fear of authoritarian power or Declan's growth as an unwanted child to optimistic savior of the Universe.

The ensemble acting is superb, director Giovanna Sardelli allowing the range of character development to play out with skill and assurance. Jo Winiarski's set, and Pamila Z. Gray's lighting are a standout. The bright shining star of the production is the performance of Daniel Allitt who is the cement holding the spiraling drama together. From his anxious, fidgety appearance to his brave optimistic final speech, we empathize with his anger at being profiled as an Irish kid living amongst the separatist thinking Quebecois to his need for acknowledgement.

The teasing of a five-minute visit window with no exchange of gifts between Peyman and his daughter is heartbreaking, while Bruce's struggle between his duty and his heart is both angering yet understandable. Writer Fahmy, a Canadian-born playwright of Egyptian decent clearly understands his subject material and presents it in a framework of universal desires for connection and humanity.

A Distinct Society continues through April 30th. Tix available at https://www.theatreworks.org or by calling (877) 662-8978.

Photo credit: Kevin Berne

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