Escape from Syria
at Welland Centennial

Reviewed on March 1, 2019

Cameryn Cappellazzo
Ridley College
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

She wakes to the sound of bombshells. Her hands and feet are tangled in the covers, her breath heaving heavily from her lungs. A few kilometers above her, the lights of the bomber jets illuminate her family's home – their screech a warning of what would come. Days later, Amina, her mother, father, and brother would be forced to flee Syria. An eloquent adaptation of Samya Kullab's 2017 graphic novel of the same name, Welland Centennial's production of "Escape from Syria" pays homage to the harrowing journey of the thousands of Syrian refugees.

Ensemble-driven, the cast performed an imaginative and abstract, yet compelling interpretation of a refugee journey, plunging the audience into the emotional and physical turmoil of its characters. This included the young girl, Amina, whom Senzenina DeFreitas presented beautifully, as a determined child stranded between the familiarities of her war-torn home and an alien life in Ontario. Cole Reid portrayed Walid, Amina's father, with impressive realism. Purposeful and powerful with his movement on stage, Reid perfectly blended the physicality and demanding emotional expression of the Syrian. The final two members of the familial unit, Youseff (Aidan Barron) and Dalia (Wesam Fadol), were strong in their compelling use of voice. The quartet's intimate relationship was remarkably convincing.

Performed entirely using a single stage set-up and primarily student organized, the show excelled through its use of technical elements. The sensory flow of the refugee's journey was captured by student sound team Ian Beauchamps, Isaac Cousineau, Rowan Mikolic-O'Rourke, and Serena Thornton. Professional in execution, the immersive soundscape artfully expressed the soft pattering of rain against the tents of the refugee camp along with the sharp whistling of a violin as a bomb. The lighting skilfully complemented the sound – soft blues wash the stage in calming hues before careening into an unflinching red as violence occurs in the camp – visually depicting the harrowing difficulties and complexities of the refugee journey.

The play jumped irregularly through space and time within the guise of a single set, a pair of rippling white sheets were first the thunderous peaks of the ocean – accompanied by clever interpretive choreography – before transforming into the desolate tents of a refugee camp. While masterful in its emotional execution, the complex time-bending structure of the play was occasionally confusing – distracting from the seriousness of the play's thematic elements.

An emotive cast, seamless scene transitions, and a transporting soundscape resulted in a play that was uniquely representational of the power of human resilience. Welland Centennial's powerful performance of "Escape from Syria" is for those who challenge unfamiliar bus passes and conquer foreign driving signals; for those who weave together a home from borrowed clothes and unfamiliar languages, who triumph amongst insurance forms and new neighbours. It is for the people who wrap their perseverance and pride around their shoulders as a flag – red and white and green, a maple leaf enveloped in between two stars. But most of all, it is for those who leave a piece of their soul in Syria.

Guilherme Martins
Ridley College
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

In the middle of the night, you, sleeping in your comfortable bed, safe and secure, hear the roaring engine of a plane that is within mere seconds of leveling your neighborhood. Is it too late to run? Will you be safe if you stay? What is there to do?

Welland Centennial's production of "Escape From Syria" brought attention to the condition of present-day Syrians living in a war-torn country. Adapted from Samya Kullab's graphic novel of the same name, the narrative depicted the horrors faced by a family of four as they attempt to flee their home and begin a new, safer life abroad. Amina, the corporal manifestation of all the effects of the Syrian war, must, alongside her family, travel through ruins of a once sprawling metropolis, numerous refugee campsites, and violent seas to have a chance of living another day.

Welland Centennial's rendition of "Escape From Syria" was unique in that it favoured telling the story through audio, visuals, and movement, rather than conventional dialogue. Great measures were taken to create a truly authentic performance, including the cast learning Arabic phrases and interacting with a Syrian refugee family to learn more about their condition. Juxtaposing the lives of refugees with those of developed countries led the audience to the realization that complaining about small problems like being late for work, having no battery on your phone, or having a small apartment are really a privilege.

The 23-person cast moved around the stage with great fluidity, depicting the horrors of the Syrian war in a set that continuously evolved to depict multiple settings. Standout actors and actresses, such as Amina, played by Senzenina DeFreitas, reflected the psychological trauma faced by those who have experienced the war. Her father, Walid, depicted by Cole Reid, exemplified the lengths a man will go to find a safer home for his family. Collecting loans he cannot return and embarking on voyages aboard boats doomed to sink, Walid showed the never-ending hope Syrians have for a better life.

The ensemble created a support for the main characters in narrating the story. Scene changes were made possible utilizing the entire cast who remained onstage for the duration of the performance, dancing around stage while simultaneously moving props around. The set was relatively simple, with props such as bedsheets hung on high by members of the ensemble to act as tents for the refugee characters.

The four-member musician team created the sound effects that added authenticity to scenery. A long note played on the viola represented a plane flying over the sky, with a loud drumbeat which signified an explosion. In addition to sound effects, the musicians provided an atmospheric score to the actors' performance, evoking senses of calmness, suspense, and horror. Despite some hard to follow transitions that broke the chronological order of the narrative, the production provided an unforgettable depiction of the reality faced by millions of people.

Depicting the greatest conflict in the modern world, Welland Centennial demonstrated that to truly understand a story, you must first witness it.

Erin Feng
A.N. Myer
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

The Reality Behind the Headlines

"Syrian boy victim becomes a symbol of Assad's war." "For Syrian Refugees, there is no going home." For most of us, these eye-catching media titles are our only source of information on the tragic Syrian Refugee crisis. But how much do we really know about the reality of the struggle behind these headlines? As fortunate as we are to not have to suffer the traumatic experiences of Syrian refugees first-hand, Centennial Secondary School spreads awareness on this reality in a heartrending and powerful way through their original play, "Escape from Syria."

Based on Samya Kullab's graphic novel by the same name, the story follows the harrowing experience of a Syrian family's desperate flee from their war-torn country and the hardships they endure to find a new place to call home.

Faced with such a complicated topic, the cast worked tirelessly to give justice to this meaningful story. With the support of a real Syrian refugee family--the Maalouf family--and Samya Kullab herself, the cast brought an appropriate and accurate depiction of the crisis to life. The performance remained authentic through the dialogue's incorporation of Arabic which, despite the language gap, helped to enhance the immersive experience.

Amina (Senzenina DeFreitas) was just an innocent 'tween' with a bright future until her life was blown apart by a bomb in her hometown. As the auditorium echoed with her tortured cries, DeFreitas perfectly captured the young girl's traumatized state and agonized plea to be released from the nightmare of her situation — only to realize that she could not escape from what had become her reality. 

As the man of the family, father Walid (Cole Reid) stepped up to protect them from the dangers of their dire circumstances. His admirable front against intimidating loan sharks and desperation to earn money was a nod to the sacrifices of immigrant fathers who gave their all for their families' futures. Actress Wesam Fadol, as a refugee herself, imbued her acting as the mother, Dalia, with the emotions of her personal experience to enrapture the audience in a moving performance of her own story.

The enduring presence of the cast on stage allowed for eye-catching visuals and creative scenes. Featuring a masterful use of simplistic props and unique synchronized choreography, the ensemble became the background itself when they took the form of ocean waves during a shipwreck to create a scene of aerobatic beauty that simultaneously conveyed the terrifying tone of the grim situation for the refugees on the boat.

The live band (Ian Beauchamps, Isaac Cousineau, Rowan Mikolic-O'Rourke, and Serena Thornton) featured original pieces that set the mood for heart-wrenching scenes. The play used exceptional soundscape to create an immersive world.

As Walid received a final text from his brother that read, "help us", we were reminded that, while the performance may have ended, the struggle continues for those like Amina's family all around the world.