The Diamond Stars

The Diamond Stars is a play by Maya van den Heuvel-Arad, translated into the Norwegian by Unn C. Fyllingsnes. The Norwegian version of the play also uses the English-language title.

is about two window cleaners, Seifu and Amadu, who are both refugees from Sierra Leone. They hang outside of a skyscraper. They have a job to do, and they have agreed not to mention their mutual past. This is neither the time nor the place for a confrontation. While they clean the windows they notice another, inaccessible world of wealthy businessmen and women.

In the play it is said that the secret is not looking them into the eye. To make them believe it is impossible to watch them from outside.

The Diamond Stars examines distance and proximity at many levels, socially, economically, politically and geographically, through a powerful visual metaphor. The world may become smaller, but some distances seem impossible to cross. And how long can one keep the past at a distance?

Maya van den Heuvel-Arad is educated as a dramaturge, and she writes for the stage as well as for TV. She has background from Israel and is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

With The Diamond Stars she won UNESCO's International Playwriting Competition 2010.

The jury wrote the following, among other things:

"Strong, dense dialogues and finely-defined, complex protagonists characterise the twelve scenes. The story is believable and extremely well researched. A play that is set in the harsh reality of every-day life still leaves space for poetic moments. This play, whose quality of language is superb, will certainly be met with enthusiasm by any director or actor."

Source:

E-mail from Oslo International Theatre, 07.06.2012