| SOUNDWAVES: The Passion of Noor Inayat Khan |
| A play on the life of the young Sufi woman, of Indian descent, who emerged as the heroine of the French Resistance known as “Madeleine” – a devotee of nonviolence and one of the most highly honored a heroes of the struggle against Nazism in France and England – whose only weapons were a radio, mindfulness and spirit. Bridge Theatre Group The New York International Fringe Festival, August 2013 Directed by Adrian Roman Music by Maitreya and Neil Padukone |
The play is one part Merchant Ivory and three parts
docu-drama — only pared down and more gutsy. The
music, created and performed by Maitreya and Neil
Padukone, adds to the cinema-like quality and reminds
me of the main character’s eastern and spiritual roots
(…)
Noor’s father, Inayat Khan, tell his daughter about how
all life is like music. “The universe” he tells her, “is made
of sound, there is nothing solid, all of it is vibrating. We
are the receivers if we allow ourselves to be finely
tuned.” She uses her father’s ideas in a synergistic mix
with her training in music and spirituality to become a
world class peaceful spy. I imagined that seeing matter
as permeable helped her evade the Nazis as long as she
did.
Before she joins the resistance she writes children’s
stories. During the early part of the play a section of her
tale “The Monkey-Bridge” is told. And the image of a
selfless monkey chief offering a mango appears with
great poignancy throughout the play.
This is a riveting story made smart and accessible with a
wonderful script, by Joe Martin, the creative team and
cast. The direction by Adrian Roman is wonderful.
... For a brief time we get to meet Noor Inayat Khan
and she renews our faith …
—ALICE KLUGHERZ,
New York Theatre Reviews
“Usher Nonsense”
Reviews and responses to the play
“SOUNDWAVES: The Passion of Noor Inayat Khan” covers a
lot of historical territory. Born into a spiritual and musical family,
Noor Inayat Khan . . . worked for the British . . . SOE (Special
Operations Executive) during World War two. She was sent to
France to help the resistance during the Nazi occupation un der the
code name of Madeleine . . . Her father, Inayat Khan, was famous
both as a musician and Muslim Sufi mystic.
. . . Soraya Broukhim, is as close as we’ll come to the real Noor
Inayat Khan. I felt like I was getting the rare privilege of getting to
know this incredible woman through Ms Broukhim and the rest of
the cast. She not only looks like the pictures of Noor Inayat
Khan, she portrays the passion and innocence that makes us hang
on her every word.
“SOUNDWAVES: The Passion of Noor Inayat Khan” covers a
lot of historical territory. Born into a spiritual and musical family,
Noor Inayat Khan . . . worked for the British . . . SOE (Special
Operations Executive) during World War two. She was sent to
France to help the resistance during the Nazi occupation un der the
code name of Madeleine . . . Her father, Inayat Khan, was famous
both as a musician and Muslim Sufi mystic.
. . . Soraya Broukhim, is as close as we’ll come to the real Noor
Inayat Khan. I felt like I was getting the rare privilege of getting to
know this incredible woman through Ms Broukhim and the rest of
the cast. She not only looks like the pictures of Noor Inayat
Khan, she portrays the passion and innocence that makes us hang
on her every word.
SOUNDWAVES: The Passion Of Noor Inayat Khan, is a play about an exemplary hero, the Sufi
mystic children’s author, musician, advocate of Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and World War
II spy for the British secret service in Nazi occupied France … each actor in the ten-person cast
led by Soraya Broukhim as Khan, is equally and strongly committed to his or her role… beautifully
accompanied by Neil Padukone on sitar and oud and Maitreya Padukone on tabla (…) Arooj
Majid plays Khan’s father Hazrat Inayat Khan and the Monkey King. In one of the most enjoyable
parts of the evening, he explains as the father, that all matter and spirit are sound waves that we can
understand if we are “finely tuned.” Majid portrays Inayat Kahn with a poise and warmth that rivets
the audience.
....................................NYC Theatre
mystic children’s author, musician, advocate of Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and World War
II spy for the British secret service in Nazi occupied France … each actor in the ten-person cast
led by Soraya Broukhim as Khan, is equally and strongly committed to his or her role… beautifully
accompanied by Neil Padukone on sitar and oud and Maitreya Padukone on tabla (…) Arooj
Majid plays Khan’s father Hazrat Inayat Khan and the Monkey King. In one of the most enjoyable
parts of the evening, he explains as the father, that all matter and spirit are sound waves that we can
understand if we are “finely tuned.” Majid portrays Inayat Kahn with a poise and warmth that rivets
the audience.
....................................NYC Theatre
"Moves between detailed historical description, on the
one hand, and in parallel gives a taste of spiritual and
Islamic mysticism on the other [...] SOUNDWAVES
fascinates and enchants the audience with the beauty of
its text and the energy of its cast."
.........................Teatroteatro.it (Italy)
one hand, and in parallel gives a taste of spiritual and
Islamic mysticism on the other [...] SOUNDWAVES
fascinates and enchants the audience with the beauty of
its text and the energy of its cast."
.........................Teatroteatro.it (Italy)
