Rehearsal: Ishtar and Samira

20/7/11

8am

Leticia began the rehearsal with an exploration of the dynamics between Samira and Ishtar and the power struggle that seems to characterise their mother-daughter relationship. Jacinta began with an interpretation of Ishtar as quite innocent, keen to placate her mother – “Yes, that’s my teacher”, “She’s not that young”... However on second run through, it was suggested that Ishtar’s “other life”; her relationship with Finn, the fact that she doesn’t always wear the hijab, entitles her to speak to her mother with more authority. Thus Ishtar would be quite forceful on the words, “You were a teacher in Iraq Oummi, it’s different here” and “I’m trying to teach you English”. Ishtar seems caught between two worlds, and her mother’s insistence on speaking Arabic seems to further affirm her sense of displacement. Samira’s words “I do this for you”, emphasise the battle of wills taking place – as Candy and Jacinta noted, Ishtar knows that her mother does it for her, she knows her mother’s struggle, yet she dislikes the way Samira seems intent on reminding her all the time. Again, a power struggle.

Candy’s stage presence, her grasp of the Arabic language and her insights into her character, allow her to have control of the space. Perfect for Samira, who wants control! Samira can stare her daughter down, whilst Jacinta must choose when she looks Candy in the eye and when she stares off into the distance. This change in focus conveys to the audience both her internal struggle, her mixed feelings for her mother and the fact that even though she is holding her ground, she will not disrespect Samira.

9.30am

Candy and Jacinta rehearsed an additional scene between Samira and Ishtar which Angela added in. The play flows even more effectively with this scene as it offers another glimpse into the strained tensions in their relationship and Ishtar’s turmoil. The controlling mother emerges as she realises the truth about Ishtar’s “other life”. After rehearsing this scene with different intentions, it is very powerful to watch, full of dramatic tension...

Samira                                    Ishtar are you sick?

Ishtar                                      No.

Samira                                    You would tell me if you were sick.

Ishtar                                      I’m not sick.

Samira                                    Then why do you see the school nurse today?

Ishtar                                      How do you know that?

Samira                                    Your brother tells me.

Ishtar                                      I had a headache.

Samira                                    Your brother tells me there is a boy at your school.

Ishtar                                      There are lots of boys at my school.

Samira                                    A boy whose hand you hold.

Ishtar is silent.

Samira                                    God has chosen me to suffer more.

                                                I have not suffered enough.

                                                You send this boy away Ishtar.

                                                Please for my sake for our sake.

Please.

Ishtar                                      Oummi.

Samira                                    If you leave me.

Ishtar                                      I’m not leaving you.

Samira                                    If you leave me you kill me, you do what Saddam could not.

The tension and the despair in this scene just seemed to build as Candy and Jacinta threw their lines at each other. Once again, we witness a battle of wills.
Who will speak first?
Who will lose their cool first?
Who will yell first?
Who will have the last word?
 Who will storm out first?

Jacinta entered through the door and was walking to her room, whilst Candy stood there, watching her. What really struck me in this scene was the power of silence – how it can convey so much: tension, unspoken words, unresolved issues, anger and bitterness, uncertainty...

As Samira is in the position of power, Candy took her time before speaking, as though making Ishtar wait. The physical distance between the two actors, with Jacinta quite far downstage left and Candy more upstage right, emphasised the yawning gap between the two – they are not on the same page at all. As Candy suggested, Samira seems to get closer and closer to the heart of the issue through her questions; interrogating her daughter. Leticia noted that on the line:

Samira    A boy whose hand you hold.

Ishtar is silent.

 ...the silence is deafening. By not denying the relationship, Ishtar is stating the fact and confirming her mother’s fears about her relationship with Finn. Leticia and Jacinta rehearsed different ways of conveying the moment when Samira says, “a boy whose hand you hold.” Jacinta effectively conveys Ishtar’s inner turmoil, the worry about who else may be privy to this information, through the way she physically shifts, staring into the distance...She shifts from confrontational to small, bitter and despairing, as illustrated through her body language.

10.30am

Another additional scene and one which seeks to further accentuate Samira’s paranoia. A pig’s head is thrown through the window and the mother immediately thinks the soldiers are after her. She becomes hysterical, jabbering in Arabic and clutching her daughter who tries to reassure her. Ishtar needs to find a way to control her mother’s fears. It is as though the roles have been reversed in this scene; Ishtar trying to allay her mother’s fears, to protect her.

Candy workshopped different ways of reacting to the situation: crawling on the ground, trying to become as small as possible, but frozen in place, or trying to crawl away quietly, or trying to find a place to hide...She also varied her vocal choices; whether Samira should whisper or cry loudly and hysterically. This scene is very powerful and highlights just how significantly traumatised Samira is.