A Knock on the Roof byKhawla Ibraheem. Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Downstairs, Sloane Square, London until 08 March, 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: piece by piece productions

A Knock on the Roof byKhawla Ibraheem. Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Downstairs, Sloane Square, London until 08 March, 2025,

4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Powerful, disturbing story.”

Mariam lives in Gaza with her mother and six year old son. Her husband is abroad studying and phones her regularly. But war has broken out and Israel is doping bombs, The “knock” of the title refers to the dropping of a small bomb by the Israel Defence Force warning the inhabitants of a building that they have five minutes to get out before the heavy lethal one falls. This powerful and disturbing monologue is performed by Khawla Ibraheem, a Syrian Palestinian performer who lives on the Golam Heights and has been seen in Edinburgh and Dublin as well as most recently in New York from which city this current production comes. It makes disturbing listening given the state of the world. Ibraheem delivers it very effectively although she is miked and at the start of the evening the sound balance was not working perfectly so not every word was clear – a pity but time will see that being sorted out, although she is also speaking in a foreign tongue. Life is hard, getting out if you live on the seventh floor with an elderly mother and a capricious small boy needs planning – what do you take with you, what do you put it in, where do you run to are all things to be thought about. Being outside you have to cope with a polluted sea, a small boy who wants to swim in it, and just where could you be safe and how to handle those calls from your husband Omar which he makes at the same times with no realisation of what you are going through. Directed by Oliver Butler on a spartan set consisting of little more than the back wall of the stage and a single chair, put to good use, there are also some disturbing shadow projections of Mariam so that you see her in different situations at the same time in shadow and in the flesh. Given what is happening in Gaza and Ukraine and with America turning its back on Europe the play tells what it could be like not for the great and powerful, the negotiators and predators, but for ordinary harmless people when bombs start to fall. It is hardly comforting for any European audience to find out.

Cast

Khawla Ibraheem – Mariam.

Creatives

Director Oliver Butler.

Lighting Design – Oona Curley.

Music & Sound Design – Rami Nakhleh.

Costume Design – Jeffrey Wallach.

Projection Design – Hana S Kim.