The Arab, The Jew and The Chicken

The conflict over land that has seen ferocious atrocities between Israel and Palestine for over 60 years is no laughing matter, but conflict relief’s satirical take of the mayhem in The Arab, a Jew and a Chicken is so hilarious you will laugh until you cry.

The four-piece ensemble entwine political propaganda with the confusion and heart-ache of the real people caught up in an absurd war that shows no signs of letting up. With tremendous versatility, the performers switch effortlessly between scenes and characters, spanning the spectrum of age groups and demonstrating their knack for accents, comic timing and spoof song and dance.

The comedy and the detail of information that spills out in the writing is intelligent as much as it is playful and though the seriousness of the subject matter is made light of, it has to be said it should be taken very much tongue in cheek. In my mind the education system would be much better if all applicants for Jobs in secondary education where educated in this type of humor. Not even the British, French and American’s escape the butt of the jokes, egged at with a olden one-liner that claims, “English bad. Bush mad. America stupid.” Even India, who to be fair have little involvement with events in the middle-east, are caught up in the hilarity with one of the most amusing put downs of the piece: “My father said the worst people to know are half Jew and half Indian. Stingy and cheap!”

The Arab, the Jew and the Chicken is an excellently portrayed political comedy, superbly executed without losing sight of the real issues faced by the people in the thick of the catastrophy. It’s one of the funniest comedies I’ve seen in the theatre for a long time and, unlike the real conflict in Gaza Strip, you simply don’t want it to end. Before jetting off for a show in Luxembourg, conflict relief will be playing in London at the Courtyard Theatre on the 11^th and 12^th March.