Someone like me

A new play by Roy Chen

Directed by Ealeal Semel

Director: Ealeal Semel
Stage Design, Costume Design, lion mask: Polina Adamov
Music: Ronnie Reshef
Lighting Design: Eliyahu Saravaysky

This new Israeli drama chronicles the lives of 5 teenage patients in an Adolescent Psychiatric Institution as they put on their very own theatre play. This is a window into the lives of the medical team, the patients, their parents – and inside their souls. But is is also the story of every one of us, because these teens come from all walks of life, every social class and community – They are just like us. They’re just a high volume version of us.

The Play was written by Roy Chen, who is a leading voice in new Israeli writing. Chen is a prolific writer who has written over 10 plays, translated 40 plays, written two novels, short stories and poetry. His work has been successfully staged in Israeli Theatres, and as of 2007 he is the head dramaturge and playwright of Gesher Theatre in Jaffa.

"Anybody Here?" was written following a 6 month research into the “Abarnabel” Pshyciatric Hospital in Israel, and is Chen’s most personal and emotionally ambitious project yet. It showcases his unique talent of blending dark humor with wit and sincerity, and to create a world which is both poetic and raw.

This Israeli premiere is directed by up-and coming director Ealeal Semel. Semel has recently directed Murder by Hanoch Levin to great success in Israel and internationally (Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Romania; Danail Chirpansky Festival, Bulgaria; Teatralny Kufar Festival, Belarus; with upcoming festival invitations to India, China and Europe).

Semel has chosen to stage "Anybody Here?" as a theatre in-the-round, which invites the audience inside the closed-off psychiatric ward, and allows for an intimate and emotional experience. The cast consists of 5 teenage actors ages 13-18 who portray the teenage patients, and 4 adult professional actors from the Gesher Theatre company, who portray both the psychiatrist, the theatre teacher, and the teens’ parents.

"Anybody Here?" is for anyone who has ever experienced life.

It celebrates the healing power of theatre in the hopes of raising the bar of compassion ever so slightly.

Duration -  1 hour 40 minutes without intermission.