Review: Not Far from the Tree at The Blue Room Theatre

Not Far from the Tree at The Blue Room Theatre
Wednesday, April 26, 2023

8/10

Can peaceful protest lead to meaningful, real-world change?

That is the question posed by Not Far from the Tree, a heartfelt journey from 1980s Algeria to contemporary Australia, from one country of red dirt, white sand, and stunning coastlines to another. This is a vivid contemplation of home, family, the migrant experience, and being caught between two lands, sometimes lovingly, sometimes not.

Writer and solo performer, Sabrina Hafid, practically brought the audience into her kitchen, as if to break bread with a group of close friends. Sand fell from a careworn suitcase, marking time like an hourglass, or an odometer count of the many, many miles travelled.

The performance told the story of two generations and of two sets of siblings, thirty years apart. This included a father whose political studies were frowned upon in a dictatorship, who migrated to the other side of the world, and an uncle who dared to dream of a better homeland, only to be consumed in the revolution turned civil war.

Perspective switched to Perth in the modern day, and here the performer was the grounded sibling, her younger sister the idealist. The characters bounced between two Google search histories, from Grammy winners and Lizzo, to climate change, sit-in protests, Israel and Palestine.

A new, peaceful revolution swept Algeria, and three million people filled the streets, week after week. This continued long enough that the diaspora could book flights, could return to make their voice heard, even from Australia.

When the old regime fell the joy was palpable, even in a theatre in a far-off land, several years later.

Not Far from the Tree is a delicate, gentle piece, a love letter to Algeria and the family remaining there, despite the mostly awful recent history. It also powerfully expresses the hard work, almost to exhaustion, that new migrants give to Australia, their energy often spent between multiple jobs, responsibilities, and time zones.

The set design was innovative, the script powerful, and the overall performance by Hafid was magnetic.

PAUL MEEK