Creator: Hamzeh Al Hussien
Director: Amy Golding
As the party conference season comes to an end and the news cycle is once again dominated by conflict in the Middle East, this absorbing and deeply moving one-person show is a timely reminder of the personal costs of the ongoing refugee crisis. Penguin is the story of one refugee’s extraordinary journey from his village in the Syrian mountains to a new life in Gateshead and everything else in between. In only seventy minutes the wonderfully charismatic Hamzeh Al Hussien, uses music and humour to recreate the places and people that have shaped his life. Along the way we meet his childhood friends in Syria and those who have assisted him on his journey to a better life in the UK.
A born storyteller, Hamzeh effortlessly performs formative episodes from his life, using only the pre-recorded voice of his brother Waseem as a part narrator and a handful of props to enhance his storytelling. Fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining throughout, the show brilliantly directed by Amy Golding combines moments of delightful comedy, such as when Hamzah recreates the time he danced on a table in a Newcastle nightclub like Nicki Minaj, alongside chilling and harrowing re-enactments of how he and his family escaped persecution and bombing by hiding in nearby caves.
In a refugee camp in Jordan, Hamzeh finds a path to freedom and self-expression in the form of a Spanish aid worker who encourages him to dance and tell stories. From an early age as a result of being born with a disability Hamzeh is nicknamed penguin, he embraces this and it becomes his mantra in life, “Be proud, be who you are, be more penguin,” this is beautifully conveyed at the end of the show in a sublime dance number which the audience take fully to their hearts. During this engaging show we learn that Hamzeh loves trainers and chips, is resilient, extremely proud of his roots and a natural survivor. To spend time in his company is a joy and a real honour.
Hard-hitting at times, this life-affirming and uplifting show should be seen by anyone in power making decisions about refugees and likewise, those who would wash their hands of them. Curious Monkey, a Northeast Theatre Company should be applauded for enabling Hamzeh Al Hussien to bring his story and courageous spirit to public attention. In very uncertain times, Hamzeh’s plea, “let’s look after ourselves and each other,” has never rung truer.
Reviewed on 12 October 2023
