Sixteen Wounded

The events in this fine play could have taken place any time in the past several decades. Mahmoud, a young Palestinian living illegally in Holland, is attacked in the street and rescued by a Jewish baker and Holocaust survivor, and the two become uneasy friends--until Mahmoud's brother appears with a terrible assignment. This performance was recorded before an audience, and the tiny cast (just five characters) is generally strong. The two main characters are outstanding, subtly handling the script's humor as well as its drama. The play is weakened, however, by Mahmoud's girlfriend--her Dutch accent breaks down in mid-sentence and distracts the listener from her important emotional role. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine