Festival review: Taha

ADELAIDE FESTIVAL

Adelaide Festival performance Taha tells the story of a man who lost his home, his lover and his livelihood, but evolved to become one of Palestine’s greatest poets after finding solace in writing.

Imagine living in a country in which poetry is so revered – not only revered but commonplace – that children learn to read their language through its texts.

Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Ali did this, and now Haifa-based actor, director and playwright Amer Hlehel brings Taha’s poetry to Australia – a country that, sadly, undervalues poetry. For that reason alone, this is an important production, but I’m not here to talk about the learning value of the show; I’m here to review it.

Read the review by Heather Taylor Johnson in the InDaily.