THE BELIEVERS ARE BUT BROTHERS - CEASEFIRE SERIES

Words. Videos. Images. Clicked links. Thoughts. Mixed Messages. Smoke And Mirrors. Right Wing Extremism. Hate. Violence. Bring and register your phone. You will interact with Javaad Alipoor as he presents this thought provoking work on Middle East & ISIS Extremist & the power of the internet. Chat rooms and memes connect people who feel disconnected from their actual community on one forum. There they post their extremist views on various topics and share controversial, even racist pictures.

Alipoor, the British performer, writer and co-director relates to the audience the stories of the young males or boys, as he calls them, who don’t feel that they belong. He brings home his points by texting and sending material to the audience. These misfits join extremist chat groups. Here anyone can express his/her views without reprisal. Anything goes. Some also make the trek to become part of Isis and find themselves somewhat unprepared.

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It is a story about young men who feel undervalued and are searching for a leader. They are tech-savy and thus are poised to influence an outcome that promises their view for the greater good over evil. They fight for Muslims – Allah. They support Trump – Hail Donald Trump. Their truth is black or white. Bush initiated this with “either you are with us or you are with the terrorists”.

This play is complex with many layers. Current world events are hi-lighted. Hate is still a dominant force. The Big Question is on the distribution and accessibility of news and facts. What is fake news and how does this influence our lives. The politics of this are felt world wide.

The Believers Are But Brothers, created by Javaad Alipoor and Kirsty Housley (UK), part of Diwali in BC, is part of the Ceasefire series at the Cultch. Easily accessible by public transit, this 65 minute play runs until November 10, 2018.​Tickets at: https://thecultch.com/events/the-believers-are-but-brothers/

~ reviewed by Tara K. Torme

photo by Richard Davenport