It is very bold to be opening a play right now about a family with a dad from the Gaza Strip and an all American mom from Vegas. And yet The Cave, now on at A Red Orchid Theatre in Old Town, is a family story that mainstream America can relate to: Jamil has relocated his family to a gated community in Columbus, Ohio with a very restrictive HOA, and the new neighbors are nosy, the teenager is insufferable, the little sister hates her new school and the extended family continues to love and intrude. Set as the first Gulf War begins when anti Muslim sentiment becomes an American habit, this little family has lost a lot. And as the audience slowly becomes aware of the trauma history, we also become aware of the toll these losses are taking: Jamil has textbook PTSD which he tries to stave off by becoming more observant, the violence and racism and prejudice begin to eat away at any sense of security, and the two girls are cast adrift in an ocean of fear.
Playwright Sadieh Rifai has given these characters so much love and some joy: Jamil (played by the multifaceted and warm H. Adoni Esho) adores his wife and daughters ( Bonnie,his wife is the salt of the earth Kirsten Fitzgerald and young actors Aaliya Montana and Milla Liss play Dema and Noor, two third culture kids in a world they try to fit into). His white American family has come to love him, in an awkward way, whether it’s Uncle Neil ( Guy Van Swearingen in a cameo role) trying to give him a handgun, or his inlaws chit chatting (the hysterical duo of AROT ensemble members John Judd and Natalie West in a bit that should get them their own comedy show)
Despite the laughs, the plot begins to get very uncomfortable as the weight of American ignorance and anti-Muslim sentiment becomes a tsunami the family needs to stay afloat in. And it’s impossible to not feel this story in the context of our current climate. This world premiere play is an important addition to the conversation right now and the program includes Take Action resources if audience members want to be more involved with the issues this artwork brings to the forefront. It is a brave and beautiful story of a family and allows us to see the conflicts from a specific perspective. There is so much in this play: how hard cross cultural marriages can be, how much violence is a part of our culture and how devastating trauma can be for a family.
The Cave is playing at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells Street in Chicago , Thursdays through Sundays until March 16, 2025. For tickets and information go to https://aredorchidtheatre.org/shows/the-cave/
For more reviews go to https://www.theatreinchicago.com
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