Piece Comment

Review of RN Documentary: Theater in the Rubble


Less a documentary and more a long-form interview, this piece is a profile of a Dutch director who develops a youth theater group in the Occupied Territories. With half of the Palestinian population under the age of 15, it's a fertile experiment. Jan Willems is thoughtful and compelling on the subject of the power of culture and art in a society disfigured by conflict and violence. The piece would have more dimensions with additional interviews with cast members and audience; as it is it's an interesting portrait of an artist who found his creative voice helping young Palestinian children find theirs.