There are only two emotions
Love & Fear
Equally there are only two reactions to refugees: welcoming or unwelcoming, along with two reactions to living in a dying small town: staying or leaving. The 1995 play, EUOPE by Scottish playwright, David Grieg, at 12th Ave Arts, structured its themes and subplots around the above mentioned dichotomies. Also it demonstrated the results of approaching a hostile word with either love or hostility. EUROPE depicts the tragic circumstances of refugees, as well as the equally tragic circumstances of those who resent refugees: de-industrialization, the psychological consequences of unemployment and de-ruralification. Thalia’s Umbrella’s production, directed by Terry Edward Moore could not be more topical, or more enlightening.
Set in a decrepit train station in a small town on the border of two unnamed countries, two refugees, Sava, an elderly father and Katia, his 20’s something daughter arrive on foot and occupy a bench. Their different reactions to the attempts to move them on are completely different, she is hostile and always suspicious of her fellow human beings, Sava, played expertly by William Hall, Jr., is to turn the other cheek and try to connect.
Meanwhile, Adele, the stationmaster’s assistant, stands on a platform and watches all the trains go by, guessing the destination of each, and obsessively fantasizing about traveling and getting out. She also wants to get out of her marriage to Berlin, a man who looses his factory job.
After becoming unemployed, Berlin looses all sense of self-worth and clings to the only things that anchors him in life-his roots in the small town and his pals from childhood. As his marriage disintegrates, and a feeling of powerlessness overcomes him, he adopts anti-immigrant attitudes and turns to violence and the comradeship of like-minded people.
Meanwhile, the original hostility of the stationmaster, Fret played by Larry Paulson, is overcome by Sava’s kindness and compassion and when the news that the station will be closed, Sava is the one who supports him and teaches him how to make a protest. This is a metaphor for how immigrants will enrich a country which accepts them. (Think about the improvement in UK cooking once all the immigrants from the sub-continent arrived)
As a play, the first act was not as strong as the second because the exposition was a little meandering, but the wisdom the play depicted was profound and heart-wrenching. Even before the pandemic, when the play was originally scheduled, there were more refugees in the world than since World War II. With the war in the Ukraine and the flight of Russians, fearing the return to totalitarianism, the refugee crisis will reach pandemic proportions.
As a production it was superb, although the set was simple, the posters on the wall of various cities in Europe highlighted the tension that getting out was appealing. Terry Edward Moore’s expert direction created compassion even for the most despicable of characters. Stand outs in the cast were Douglas Andrew Graham as Berlin, the unemployed man who becomes an anti-immigrant vigilante. Through this character, the playwright explained why a perfectly ordinary person, does these odious things. Perhaps the most loveable and intriguing actor was William Hall Jr. as Sava, the elderly sage. Vocally, Hall uses expert timing and pregnant pauses to carve his lines and words with the deftness of Michelangelo carving David. He was a joy to listen to and his character expressed hope.
EUROPE helps us all grapple with the events in the Ukraine as well as the events of Jan 6, 2021, so I strongly recommend seeing it. There are a lot of restaurants in the building and in the nearby Pike/Pine corridor, so make a night of it.
EUROPE by David Grieg. Thalia’s Umbrella, 12th Ave Arts 1620-12th Ave Industry Night Mon March 21 Industry Night. Til March 27. Info: www.thaliasumbrella.org
Tickets: https://europe.brownpapertickets.com
N.B. Parking is difficult. Walk from Sound Transit-Capitol Hill Stop
P.S. Masks and vaccination proof required.