Liza Macedo dos Santos is the absolute star in ‘Letters from Mia’ ★★★★☆

“I hate it, I hate it.” At first glance, Laila seems like a stereotypical eye-rolling teenager with a strong aversion to school. But you immediately take her into your heart through the sensitive playing of Liza Macedo dos Santos: she is withdrawn but curious in her looks, bored but caring in her gestures, and bold but sensitive in her textual treatment.

Laila has reason to be angry: she saw bombs devastate her homeland Syria and she hasn’t heard from her arrested father in ages. So here in the Netherlands she shuffles, gritting her teeth, to the house of mister Cohen (Peter van Heeringen), whose attic she has to clean up as part of ‘charity week’ at school.

Their meeting is central to the performance The Letters of Mia, after the book of the same name by Astrid Sy, adapted for the stage by George Elias Tobal. Directed by Eran Ben-Michaël, Laila and Mr. Cohen go in search of his childhood sweetheart Mia, who disappeared during the Second World War.

“I hate it, I hate it,” Laila then reads in letters from that Mia (Britte Lagcher), who she finds in Mr. Cohen’s attic. Mia describes how the Netherlands is becoming increasingly unsafe for herself and other Jews. History comes to life before Laila’s eyes: smoothly we jump from dialogues from the past to Laila’s perception of the present. The iron constructions of the decor simply yet effectively evoke new spaces and worlds.

Who knows, Mia might still be alive, Laila thinks, so she urges Mr. Cohen to unravel the past together. Sometimes Laila and Mia almost meet: across time they look at each other or simultaneously tuck a strand of hair behind their ears. The dreamy music of Milan Sekeris, played live on electric guitar, enhances the magical feeling.

The same Sekeris brings humor to the play in several supporting roles, just like the other players with characters such as the cheeky schoolboy Youssef (Gonca Karasu) or the salsa-dancing Westerbork guide (David Lucieer). As a threatening German, Sekeris is sometimes a bit too caricatured, and more irritating than dangerous.

But the emotion is always just around the corner: slowly the bond between Laila and Mr. Cohen grows. Sometimes it clashes, as it often does between Arabs and Jews in the performances of George & Eran Productions. But the two find each other in their loss – they’ve both been through wars, both lost loved ones. Their affection lies in small gestures: he makes her humus, she helps him in his coat.

Of course you want Mia to be found, but it is mainly Laila who wishes you a happy ending. Because if Mia survived the war, maybe her father will too. It’s okay to be angry at the world, you would like to say to Laila. But there is also a glimmer of hope.