The Stage

I Am Yusuf and this is My Brother

Published Friday 22 January 2010 at 11:25 by Sally Stott

If significant parts of a play are delivered in Arabic to a predominantly English-speaking audience, it helps if there’s an effective translation process in place - something that this potentially insightful, yet sadly inaccessible, new drama unfortunately lacks.

Yussef Abu Warda and Amer Hlehel in a scene from I Am Yusuf and this is My Brother at the Young Vic Photo: Keith Pattison

Set predominantly in Palestine in 1948, we follow two brothers’ experiences as they are forced to flee their homes after the segregation of their country and creation of the state of Israel. Most pertinently, the play offers a timely reminder of Britain and the UN’s involvement in the decisions that contributed to the ongoing conflicts we’re familiar with today. However, while the play’s reoccurring use of the Arabic language creates atmosphere, the out of sync surtitles (in English via three irritatingly high up screens) creates a distracting barrier between the audience and the action.

The relationship between warm-hearted optimist Yusuf and his more pragmatic brother Ali is touchingly portrayed by Amer Hlehel and Ali Suliman, while writer/director Amir Nizar Zuabi conveys an unusual and poetic view of his country’s history. But the tale ultimately lacks focus and feels like a disjointed mixture of political statements, family melodrama and, by the end, magical realism.

It’s admirable that Palestinian theatre company ShiberHur and the Young Vic are attempting to creatively explore and break down language barriers, but when the timing of surtitles and live dialogue fails to gel together, it’s inevitable that some things get lost in translation.