Night Blooming Jasmine, written by Israela Margalit, is concerned with Israeli-Palestinian relations, as told through the story of a pair of star-crossed lovers and their families. The play shifts between scenes of the Hernicks, a Jewish family in Kadima, and the Rafids, a Muslim family in El Riyad, with most actors taking on two roles. The portrayal of the Jewish community seemed a bit off; the Hernicks’ manner of speaking, as well as references to Fifth Avenue, the FDA, and Barack Obama, was reminiscent of New Yorkers, not Israelis. In contrast, the Rafids are markedly foreign, much like Muslims are viewed in the United States; this might seem like quibbling, but what it all adds up to is a highly Americanized play that does not seem to completely understand the cultures utilized in its Romeo-and-Juliet style plot. The melodramatic acting does not help matters.
As for the young lovers, they are David, an officer in the Israel Defense Forces, and Jasmine, a Palestinian girl studying in Jerusalem. The love story is quite literally forced, as David is creepily persistent in his pursuit of Jasmine after they meet by chance on the city streets. He refuses to take “no” for an answer in his attempts at seduction. Although Jasmine’s religious beliefs might require her to take a passive role in starting a relationship with any man, especially a non-Muslim, such treatment is not okay. I have to wonder why, in 2013, a play’s romantic relationship would form in a fashion so antithetical to feminism. If Margalit’s intention was to criticize the rape culture that David’s actions promote, or if she meant to make a statement about Israeli-Palestinian relations, it might not be so offensive. However, it seems the love story is only used as a plot device, and that the audience is supposed to sympathize with David; his claim that he does not understand “no” because the Hebrew dictionary does not have a word for “shouldn’t” or “impossible,” is almost comically chauvinistic. There have been enough love stories involving coerced women, and enough people believe that such behavior constitutes romance, that I could not feel anything other than discomfort while watching those scenes.
If you are looking for insightful commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, look elsewhere. If you would like an evening of light theatre, Night Blooming Jasmine might be right for you. Tickets are $18. Showtimes are September 5-7/12-14 at 8pm and September 8 and 15 at 7pm UNDER St. Marks. To buy: http://horsetrade.info/Show/405.
