Four Walls and a Roof (EIF)
★★☆☆☆ Oddly flat
Studio Theatre: Fri 7 – Mon 10 Aug 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
Four Walls and a Roof, at the Studio Theatre at the International Festival, deals with important themes in a way that seems designed to infuriate as much as involve.
Written, directed and performed by Lebanese artist duo Lina Majdalanie and Rabih Mroué, now Berlin-based, it begins with a re-enactment of Bertolt Brecht’s 1947 appearance before the US House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee.
Lina Majdalanie with Rabih Mroué. Pic: Jess Shurte.
Other ‘unfriendly witnesses’ refused to testify, citing the First Amendment’s commitment to freedom of speech (and suffered as a consequence). Brecht, however appeared, perhaps mindful he was already booked on a flight back to Europe.
His performance was famously evasive, jokey and full of linguistic evasions regarding the translation of his works, but we don’t get that here – only the words of his questioners are heard.
There then follows a lengthy discussion of Brecht, his exile and return to (East) Germany, the nature of free speech, how the term ‘anti-Semitism’ has become weaponised, and the rise of the far right across the world.
These are all important and timely issues, and need to be addressed. However, the piece is strangely uninvolving, and not really that interesting at times.
stiff and academic
The format is stiff and academic, as much a lecture as it is a performance. Which is undoubtedly deliberate; there is an attempt at extreme documentary clarity, without recourse to metaphor or evasion, in order to avoid the usual manipulations and state the issues as simply as possible.
But this doesn’t necessarily make for a riveting spectacle. The dryness of the delivery is taken to such extremes that it is surely intended to be shot through with humour, but this rarely comes across. Maybe this is because the performance is in English and sometimes lands a little awkwardly. There are moments such as an absurdly long stretch where, having decided it is dangerous to speak, simply sit in silence for several minutes. This must be meant to induce the audience to laugh, but it doesn’t happen.
Henrik Kairies. Pic: Jess Shurte.
Instead, much of it seems repetitive and vaguely annoying; the performance lasts for nearly two hours without an interval and frankly it seems longer.
After the opening HUAC section, which is unexpected and energetic, the rest of the performance has few surprises and little that is gripping.
It’s not all bad by any means. There’s a cleverness and rigour to the material that is appealing in small doses, as is Majdalanie and Mroué’s self-effacing performance style. Pianist Henrik Kairies provides musical interludes of some of Brecht and Hanns Eisler’s songs, which work well; indeed, you can’t help wishing there were a few more.
Running time: One hour and 45 minutes (no interval).
Studio Theatre), 22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL.
Friday 14 – Monday 17 August 2026.
Daily: 7.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
ENDS
