Royal Lyceum Theatre
Four stars
The drums beat loud in this mighty rendering of a 14th century epic Middle Eastern narrative poem. Passed down the centuries in various guises, it is reimagined here from a Syrian version by Palestinian writer/director Bashar Murkus and dramaturg Khulood Basel of their Haifa based Khashabi Theatre. With the seven performers already on stage and welcoming audiences as they arrive, the result over the next life affirming three hours is a gorgeous mash-up of storytelling, dance and a wonderful live score led by drummer Rami Nakhleh and singers Rana Baransi and Abed Zoabi.
The story they tell in Arabic with English surtitles - The Epic of Bani Hilal or السّيرة الهلاليّ - is an awfully big adventure that takes in battles of love, war and an eternal quest for new lands to call home. Out of this comes a contrary beauty that comes from a joyful and playful delivery by the cast as they act out each chapter of the story using little more than a few flight cases in a way that resembles comic sketches.
Key to this co-production by Edinburgh International Festival and assorted international partners is the way the back wall is lit so ingeniously by Muaz Al Jubeh. As the life size shadows of the ensemble are set against the surtitles in a sand coloured wash, each scene feels blessed with the visual aesthetic of pages from a retro 1960s children’s storybook writ large and brought to life.
With Nakhleh powering the increasingly propulsive music that by the end borders on Metal, the final tales of destruction are delivered with a stark stillness that resembles a wake. Like all wakes, however, by the end, the greatest revolutionary act is to dance. After that, they can only go in peace.
Until Aug 29.
The Herald, August 29, 2026
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