Jihad presented by Genesis Theatrical Productions at Theater Wit

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Where the earlier piece comprised a single set of intertwined monologues-one delivered by the Islamist mother of a suicide bomber, the other by the orthodox mother of the bomber's victim-the rewrite moves their exchange to the second act and opens instead with two men, a Hamas "teacher" and an Israeli soldier, delivering dueling monologues of their own. Never mind that the result lacks dramaturgical sense. The real problem is that Liss and director Elayne LeTraunik have turned Jihad into an example of the very demonization it initially explored-a tale of righteous Jews and perfidious Muslims. Even as a Zionist, I found it appalling."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...Ultimately, despite the efforts of the cast to create human portraits and some powerful written passages, Jihad is too much propaganda and not enough play. The impact of the occupation on Palestinians is hardly mentioned except as an abstraction, while the terror of living under attack on the Israeli side is clearly detailed. When the conflict is condensed to terrorists vs. peaceful citizens living on land promised to Abraham, the only resolution becomes the destruction of one side or the other. The horrors portrayed are real, but they only tell part of the story. And, without much of an emotional or intellectual journey (except in Shula's words), there is not enough dramatic tension to sustain a play and the audience is left with polemic."