Theatre / The Invaders’ Fear of Memories. Written and performed by Ben Rivers. Directed by Linda Wise. Ralph Wilson Theatre. November 21-23. Reviewed by ALANNA MACLEAN.

Ben Rivers’ haunted piece about Israel and Palestine and the deeper origins and resonances of the present situation is having a short season in the Ralph Wilson Theatre that should not be missed. 

Rivers’ own experiences of the place and his great grandfather’s journey from being persecuted in Tsarist Russia to being part of ethnic cleansing in Palestine raise questions that need to be asked. How is it that the persecuted can become the persecutors?

The performance is episodic with frequent shifts of character ethnicity and gender. The illogicality of prejudice is placed against the need for humane behaviour. Great grandfather Yousef Nachmani remains a constant as do occasional perceptive remarks from his wife but often the voices are observers, by-standers, victims, opinions.

Towards the end, a guest performer (on opening night Karina Salgado) joins in to provide yet another set of perceptions and a another contrasting human voice.

There is singing and poetry and languages and dance involved and, countering the frequent references to violence, there is a sense of deep humour. Above all, there is a constant appeal for logic and justice to be applied.

Rivers is a slowly compelling performer, whether speaking, dancing or breaking into song; focused and skilled.

A Q&A session afterwards gives the audience a chance to ask questions. It was almost inevitable that parallels would be drawn with the nature of invasion and settlement in this country. A performance that educates and deepens an understanding of the reasons for the “fear of memories”.