This third installment in the Arabian Afternoons saga had Palestinian-American academic Ajib (William El-Gardi) being apprehended at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport for unspecified reasons. Initially we thought it was simply due to Israeli nervousness at having a Palestinian walk so insouciantly through their security net; but as the play unfolded, we were taken on a picaresque adventure through Israel as Ajib went in search of his family, who had apparently disappeared in the past. Eventually Ajib tracked them down and was restored to Ont (Betsabeh Emran) in an emotional climax.

 

A Dish of Pomegranates mainly focused on Ajib’s search for a ‘home’ – which was something more emotional than physical. Although professionally successful, he found the greatest difficult trying to put down roots, and could only address this problem once he had discovered where he came from. The play turned out to be a call for mutual understanding; for members of warring nations to put their differences aside and work together, even if it was only to help Ajib achieve his dreams. Peace accords have been forged upon such slight foundations. Peter Jukes’ liberal message might have overlooked political realities (the differences between Israelis and Palestinians are probably too great ever to be successfully negotiated), it did show how individuals could work together towards mutual muderstanding. The director was Mary Peate,