“Dummy in Diaspora”

Directed by Karina Patel, this is a story about this  Middle Eastern American boy, Essa, whose parents are refugees.  Rasho delivers each little anecdote as either himself, his father, his mother or others and his delivery is both  “honest” and “chilling.” . He tells us his experience of growing up in a country that doesn’t have a place for him. He talks of his meeting others and feeling the feelings that confuse him. He speaks about his coming out on sexuality as well as religion. He even talks about telling his parents to arrange a wedding for him ( with a woman from his homeland) and learning the English language, with a special story ( as a youth) involving his interpretation of “The Wizard of Oz”.

We learn of his addiction to nicotine and  as I said from the very onset, the “vape” machine produces quite a huge puff of smoke and if you are sensitive, this will take you away from the brilliance of his story telling. The set designed by Olivia Volk who also handled the props and di the set painting is quite busy for an intimate set. The back walls are Oriental carpets as well as the floor covering. There is a couch and chairs that are used as Rasho plays the entire set allowing his audience to see him from every angle in all o fthe situations his story takes. The lighting (Maaz Ahmed) and sound (Newton Schottelkotte) work well, but the difference between doing this as a play versus stand-up is the projection that a microphone would offer. The theater is not huge, but today’s actors evidently don’t learn to project to the “back of the room” as I did back in the day.