The Owl Girl

See it if Whimsical realistic yet quirky battle between cultures.

Don't see it if You like happy endings.

See it if you would like to experience a thoroughly new take on the disputed lands of the Middle East.

Don't see it if you cannot bear bare-bones productions.

Also This production is rough. And the script might even be rough in places. But I like very much what playwright Monica Raymond has done. Her play is set for the most part on eternally disputed land in the Middle East. She engages her all but intractable material by using a lot of devices that were more common when Theater of the Absurd was fashionable. She sets up a Jewish & an Arab family, each with father, mother, son & daughter, & makes them live in the same house. Within a plot that feels part fairytale, part kitchen sink drama, the mirroring characters behave at the same time mythic & ridiculous. Her indirection lets her score lots of points against the patriarchy—on both sides—without ever getting tendentious. She can iterate a hope for the mutual recognition of common humanity without ever seeming hopelessly naïve. And a few stage moments involving her title character are pretty magical. I will be watching for more productions of work by this writer.... Read more Read less

See it if you like magical realism used as a lens for examining difficult themes and concepts. You're interested in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

Don't see it if You're looking for a very polished show. You want something quick and easy. You don't enjoy magical realism.

Also While I definitely think there is still a little work to do on this production, especially in terms of ironing out a little bit of the awkwardness of some of the dialogue, I thought this play was a really fascinating exploration of the concept of home, of ownership/place, of "the enemy," and of what it means to refuse. Because of this, there were a lot of beautiful things about this production, and I really enjoyed the handling of the subject matter. I'm also a really big fan of magical realism, though, so some of that could be off-putting or confusing if you're not interested in that approach.

I think the issue with this play right now is that, if I were to have read it as a short story, I would have *loved* it. As a stage production, it's a lot easier to see when a line of dialogue is awkward or when a transition or interaction doesn't feel quite right. I think it holds a lot of promise, though, and is definitely worth seeing.... Read more Read less

See it if you like dramedies with an absurdist bent.

Don't see it if you need a cohesive storyline or elaborate set

See it if You like high school productions And fantasy

Don't see it if You need to find acting ability

See it if You are interested in how people of different Faith's can try to live together. You need to suspend rational beliefs.

Don't see it if You can try to understand people trying to get together even though they have very different rationales.

See it if you have any interest in the conflict between Israel and Palestine

Don't see it if you are looking for serious theater or a comfortable venue to see a show in. The writing has potential but it needs work, even as a farce.

See it if If you want to see a play about Palestinian/ Israeli conflict from s different perspective. A small intimate atmosphere.

Don't see it if If you do not like small productions or cramped spaces. A solid piece from beginning to its ending. A well directed play is more your cup of

See it if You want a magical parallel universe exploration of the Israeli/Palestinian. Like highly symbolic and fantastical explorations of conflict.

Don't see it if You mind mostly mediocre casting, mind at times things being a bit on the nose, mind mismatch (it is a fantasy) with the reality.

Also I saw this the same day after seeing a great broadway play (Choir boy) and a great film (Gully Boy) so I’m being kind in my scoring as I worry I’m comparing it to those directly as they both dealt with difficult issues in a much more intelligent way. This had a very white American Liberal take on the Middle East feel to me. So religion was irrelevant and “hate” was the issue. Palestinians and Jews complete each other and kind of would get along but for the greedy white male jew who can’t share and lusts for the brown girl. I laughed at some of the lines and I like fantasies and farces and at times enjoyed this as such but i can see this play offending some (though I’m quiet certain it does not mean to) and in fact I think it’s heart is decidedly in a right (but biased) place. Some of the target audience (liberal Americans) maybe offended by the apparent casting of non Arab actors in seemingly Arab roles.... Read more Read less

See it if you like all Israeli-Palestinian-family-relations stories with a touch of magic.

Don't see it if you want a sophisticated production and hate magical realism and symbolism.

See it if You like shows dealing with cultural issues and like a shows with big casts.

Don't see it if You don't like plays dealing with cultural issues or if you don't like long plays lasting over two hours.

See it if You like to see works in progress? I'd say if you're interested in the subject matter, but I am and thought it was handled poorly.

Don't see it if You actually know things about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and don't want to see a play that deals in cliches.

See it if You want to see some great acting performances and enjoy magical realism.

Don't see it if You want a coherent storyline or comfortable setting.

Also The acting saved this show. Dante Jayce was a standout. His performance as Zol was dynamic and entertaining. His range of emotion turned what could have been a merely reprehensible character into one that I was genuinely sympathetic toward at times. His energy also helped things move forward, as the pace of this play is very slow in general. Other bright spots in the cast included Bryna Kearney and Flavia Zaguini as the two wives/mothers. Their nuanced performances showed true concern for their family members. The rest of the cast was a mixed bag. But I feel all the actors did their best with the material they were given. The script of this play was insane. Character motivations shifted constantly, seemingly without reason. It was confusing and hard to follow at times. And the theater is a cramped space in an old church. Overall I liked this show and I loved some of the acting performances, but the script was unbalanced.... Read more Read less