‘The main purpose of theatre is to disturb and not entertain. I am not an entertainer; I write to disturb people. I want you to leave the theatre tonight with questions whose answers you have to find for yourselves. I do not think I am being unfair to Britain. As an ‘alien’ with a brilliant academic career, I should know something of the opportunities foreign scholars and writers in this country have to develop their potential. Having said that, I do not think we should pretend that everything is perfect in the UK. A lot more can be done so that all foreigners in Britain are treated with respect and dignity. This is what the play is about and if you are disturbed I take this to be a good sign. Art is at its best when it is therapeutic and therapy is not always a pleasant thing to go through.’
(Gëzim Alpion’s reply when asked why he had written such a hard-hitting play by a member of the audience during the post-show discussion on 7 February.)
Feedback from the Audience
‘The large number of people attending the premiere was yet another clear indication of the high esteem in which your artistic, literary and academic work is held. One of the reasons for the success of the show was that you know very well the reality you describe. The play was staged and acted brilliantly. Mr Richard Attlee and Ms Tina Hofman were brilliantly cast in the leading roles. The post-show discussion, which was a fitting climax to a memorable evening, indicated clearly that the audience was interested in the performance as well as in the values of your play to the wider British public. The explanations you and the Director, Mr Marcus Fernando, provided indicated clearly that above all the event had intellectual values. Once again, congratulations on your achievements. I wish you all the best in your career.’
HE Kastriot Robo
Albanian Ambassador to the Court of St James’s, London, UK
Excerpts from the letter to Dr Alpion of 10th February 2006
‘I wish you all the best with the premier production…I do believe that many people from the Bosnian community in Birmingham will attend. Many of them are informed through our organization UK Network, based in Birmingham.’
Mr Mensur Jusić
First Secretary, Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, London, UK
‘On behalf of all of us in the Embassy please receive our best wishes for tonight and tomorrow’.
Mrs Flora Turner
Cultural Counsellor, Croatian Embassy, London, UK.
‘It was a very good performance, with a brilliant cast and a very sensitive and important theme in a Kosova, Albanian and Balkan context. Professor Alpion deserves much credit for bringing this issue to the attention of the British public. The post-show discussion that was attended by a large number of people was further proof of the high quality of the play. I hope the show will be staged at the National Theatre in Prishtina as soon as possible.’
Mr Besnik Tahiri
Political Advisor of the Prime Minister of Kosova
‘I liked the play and I sincerely hope it will be staged in Belgrade and Prishtina. I was most impressed by the playwright Mr Gëzim Alpion who succeeded in his efforts to depict accurately the relationship between refugees (no matter whether they come from Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia or Serbia) and the British society.’
Ms Danica Ilic
BBC World Service – Serbian Section, London, UK
‘We were not quite sure what to expect from the play, but suffice it to say that we both [my husband and I] came away and said it was very thought provoking and in fact we were discussing it all the way home. That has to be a good sign! It was good to see so many people there as well – you must be delighted.’
Mrs Linda Wilden
PA to Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Birmingham, UK
‘I have just watched the drama If Only...on DVD. Congratulations...I was quite impressed by the mise-en-scène, with invisible walls, simultaneous scenes, and even one flash-back…; by the use of light; by the music; by the performance of all the actors, especially of the accused. I was also impressed by the discussion at the end. The audience seemed seriously involved.’
Gaston Roberge SJ
Professor of Mass Communication and Film Studies, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India
‘Vouchers and If Only the Dead Could Listen establish Gëzim Alpion as the founder of modern Albanian drama.’
Mr Thanas Jorgji - Pilafas
Writer, Berlin, Germany
‘What a BRILLIANT production! It is just nice to see an academic and writer from the Balkans writing such a magnificent work that words cannot explain.’
Mr Mirsad Solakovic
Bosnian Actor, Birmingham, UK
‘I so much enjoyed (if that is the right word) your last play [Vouchers] and have been hoping to come to Birmingham next week to hear your new one. What you are doing is so very much worth-while and I much hope that many will listen to your important message. I work each week at an Asylum Centre here in London and so know all too well the issues that you address so imaginatively…I do hope that you will have a good audience, and especially that there will be those among them who much need to be informed…Might it be possible for a reading here in London some time, perhaps arranged via the Refugee Council?’
Dr Victor de Vaal
London, UK
‘I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, particularly the exchange between Dr. Stone and Leka…Having been an immigrant in Canada and the US where the Irish (when they are legal) are largely revered and then coming to the UK where they are largely seen as 2nd class citizens – builders, labourers, etc., I find the tension between the legal educated Dr Stone and illegal refugee very interesting and poignant. The discussion afterwards was also very interesting.’
Professor Cillian Ryan
Head of the European Research Institute, Universitity of Birmingham, UK,
Director of the Birmingham Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence,
and holder of the Jean Monnet Chair in European Economics
‘We really enjoyed the play. The production and acting were excellent. We loved the minimal set design and the use of the space. There was so much packed into it and much we recognised from our experience of Albanian society, refugees, British society etc. I agree that performance in the Balkans would be really good’.
Mrs Hildegard Dumper & Mr Jason Phillips
Bristol, UK
‘I came to the performance on Wednesday evening and had a very wonderful experience. The play was so well written and performed…I have worked with refugees in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia as well as Kosovo and Albania and Africa…the storyline was true to life and exceptionally well presented to the audience. I truly hope you are successful in securing funding for the future events – it is essential viewing for the general public and makes one leave with many questions unanswered…Well done and good luck for the future.’
Mr Rob Edge
Principal Officer – Asylum Seekers & Refugees Team, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, UK
‘Your play sounds fantastic…We need to be disturbed about the situation your theatre piece presents. In the States when the White House or Media announces that the “war is over” and American troops withdraw whether it be the Balkans, Rwanda, Chile…then the Americans no longer care. I’m sure that 99% of Americans think that things are just wonderful back in Kosovo and throughout Yugoslavia, and if you ask 99% of Americans where is Albania, half of them would probably say: “Is it a city in California?” So, please, keep using theatre to disturb people and come to the States and shake people up here.’
Mr J. G.
USA
‘Congratulations on your performance. We are glad you tackled the issue of refugees and asylum seekers…from that point of view. However, I would say that the system of vouchers is now replaced by a more humiliating one; we have to report either personally or by voice recognition (by phoning weekly)…and are under pressure of being deported…Don’t want to bother you anymore with this madness…’
Mrs O. K.
UK
‘My 28 year old son and I went to see it last night and both of us enjoyed it and found it very thought provoking. It was so well crafted with hints only of what was to happen. [One of my colleagues] who saw it the day before, and I had a long discussion about its meanings. I was surprised that it was fully produced as the flyer indicated that it would be read only – what was the reason for that? So do please pass on our plaudits to [Gëzim] – I hope that he was pleased by the production – and has received favourable comments from everyone, including theatre critics!’
Mrs Margaret Clewett
Careers Adviser, University of Birmingham, UK
‘Congratulations on the production. I really enjoyed the performance (although did not find it “entertaining”!)’
Dr Shelley Budgeon
Senior Lecturer, University of Birmingham, UK
‘I wanted to congratulate you on last night’s production of If Only the Dead Could Listen. [We] were thrilled to see the play, which was excellently performed – the cast was superb. We found the play to be very though-provoking, dramatic, challenging and really gripping – well done to you. I hope that the play is well received and that its success continues.’
Ms Nicola Bullivant
Placements Manager, Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK
‘We really enjoyed your play. It was very powerful and gave my daughters much to talk about. I was interested in the comments you made in the THES article about how it is better to be a writer rather than an academic – more freedom of expression. These are my feelings exactly. You reach (hopefully) a bigger audience in a more meaningful way. All the best – and congratulations.’
Ms Louise Brown
Senior Lecturer, University of Birmingham, UK
Author of the award-winning The Dancing Girls of Lahore
‘I thought it was a really powerful piece – especially the way the refugee manages to guess the details of Dr Stone’s academic career and her relationship to her lover. You must have been very pleased with the casting; I thought all of the actors did a fantastic job. Congratulations again.’
Dr Ross Abbinnett
Senior Lecturer, University of Birmingham, UK
‘I really enjoyed your play, and was certainly ‘disturbed’ by it too; it highlighted some important issues in society.’
Miss Naomi Nizri
Student, London, UK
‘I’m glad that all concerned worked so hard to help make the performances such a tremendous success. I very much hope that you manage to get the funds to put the show on in the Balkans and also at venues in this country.’
Mrs Julia Collier
Shipley, UK
‘I just wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate you on such a superb play...I work within the Press Office at the University [of Birmingham] and attended the play with three of my housemates, two of whom study drama. From a dramatist’s perspective, it was a great example of Theatre in Education. We all found the play extremely thought-provoking…I thought the ending was fantastic, extremely poignant and quite unexpected, despite the title of the play. I…wish you every success in its performance in London and the Balkans.’
Miss Eve Hancock
Editor of Buzz, Birmingham, UK
‘I think that it is very important to promote regional cultural dialogue and cooperate closely with each other...I fully agree with you that we should cherish the positive things we have and admire the positive ones of our neighbours. That’s why I think it is soooo important to have the performance in Belgrade. I think cultural exchanges are the easiest way of introducing a different perspective and hopefully breaking the prejudices of those who have them.’
Ms Katarina Putnik
Development Coordinator, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Belgrade, Serbia
‘I am so proud of what you have done…It was about time that somebody made some contribution to our [Albanian] community in the UK. Thank you, Gëzim!’
Ms R. S.
Panel Adviser for Unaccompanied Refugee Children, London, UK
‘I study Drama and MCS…I liked the play very much and found the post-show discussion very interesting. I am currently working on an essay which discusses how popular forms of theatre convey political ideas for my Theatre and Cultural Politics module. I would love to use your play as an example.’
Miss S. L.
Student, Birmingham, UK