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A powerful work that delves into the open
wounds of humanity and invites us to rethink our convictions through art,
emotion, and human engagement.
Get ready to dive deep into the human soul. Love
and Hate, by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, is not just a theatrical script:
it's a call to reflect on the limits of intolerance, the power of love, and the
role of theater in rebuilding human values.
Crossing the boundary
between theater and life, the play Love and Hate: Let Us Not Forget Aylan
Kurdi emerges as one of the most relevant classics of contemporary theater.
Penned by playwright and researcher Antônio Carlos dos Santos, this play
provokes, moves, and teaches all at once. By tackling themes such as
fundamentalism, the migration crisis, and the fragility of democracy, Santos
constructs a theatrical thriller in which every line invites critical thought
and every scene becomes a lesson in humanization.
Motivational Quote:
"Theatre should not comfort. It should confront." — Peter
Brook
Love and Hate unfolds in a European
context gripped by the threat of ISIS terrorism. But it goes far beyond
geopolitics. The plot stages the human drama behind the headlines, the moral
dilemmas obscured by statistics, and the existential wounds embodied in
characters of flesh, blood, and soul. Anna Decker, an intelligence officer,
leads the investigation of a terrorist plan that could wipe out Berlin. But
this is more than a manhunt. It’s also a journey through the underworld of
human pain, symbolized by Kazal and Manal al-Atassi — two women who share a
past of love, war, and physical and emotional mutilation.
Theatrical Trivia
Kazal al-Atassi is inspired by real victims of the Syrian civil
war. Her character echoes the poet Fadwa Suleiman, who left her comforts behind
to become an active voice against barbarism.
In this stage of
anguish and hope, Antônio Carlos dos Santos employs three of his innovative
methodologies to engage audiences on different perceptual levels: Mané
Beiçudo Puppet Theater, MAT (Mindset, Action, and Theater), and ThM
(Theater Movement). With Mané Beiçudo, the symbolic and popular
language of puppets conveys philosophical concepts in accessible ways. Through MAT,
the structure is guided by three pillars: active mindset, concrete action, and
theatrical experience. ThM, using ritualized body movements, connects
the audience to the drama — physically and viscerally.
Practical Tip:
Teachers and educators can use excerpts from Love and Hate to prompt debates on
culture, tolerance, and human rights. Using the MAT methodology, students can
rewrite scenes from different perspectives.
The strength of the
text lies not only in its themes but also in how it’s staged. Santos’ language
is pulsing, rich in intense dialogue, heartrending monologues, and meaningful
silences. The result is a performance that demands total commitment from the
cast and deep engagement from the audience. The play compels us to confront our
biases, reflect on what constitutes civilization, who the real enemy is, and
what justice truly means.
Inspiring Anecdote
During a performance at the Festival in Marseille, the actress
portraying Kazal was approached after the show by a refugee who recognized her
own story in the character. The two embraced in silent tears. Theater had
fulfilled its purpose.
The narrative also
brilliantly contrasts Islamic authoritarianism with Western extremism: KGB,
Stasi, Nazism, Communism and nationalism appear as mirrors of the same
intolerance. Avoiding binary oppositions, Santos humanizes every character. No
one is purely victim or villain. Anna Decker’s dilemma reflects the West’s
challenge: how to uphold democracy without succumbing to fear and
authoritarianism?
Academic references
such as the 2023 UN Report on Forced Migration, as well as the works of Edward
Said, Hannah Arendt, and Judith Butler, enrich the play’s philosophical
foundation. Yet, one also feels the influence of Shakespeare — particularly in Hamlet
and Macbeth, where internal conflict feeds external chaos.
Highlight: The legacy
of Aylan Kurdi
The image of young Aylan Kurdi, found dead on a Turkish beach in
2015, became a symbol of the humanitarian crisis. Antônio Carlos dos Santos
turns this image into a poetic and political engine.
Ending a performance
like Love and Hate feels like exiting a hall of mirrors. We see the
other — and we see ourselves. The play offers no ready-made answers but plants
unsettling questions. In the end, it leaves us with the conviction that when
theater is done with truth and courage, it doesn’t just tell a story — it has
the power to change many.
Love and Hate is more than a play:
it is a manifesto. Let us never forget Aylan Kurdi. Let us never forget the
power of theater to transform.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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