"A KID LKE RISHI" by Kees Roorda; Directed by Erwin Maas;
produced by Origin Theater Company
"A Kid Like Rishi," is a Duch docudrama about a racial profiling police killing in the Hague.
While a 17-year-old Rishi Chandrikasing was waiting for a train at The Hague Holland Spoor
station was shot by a police officer who suspected him for assaulting a homeless person who was
never questioned. Actually he wasn't even identified. Rishi died immediately of a gunshot to the
head. This play was also inspired by Kees Roorda (playwright), because of a personal racial
profiling incident about his partner Rob who is black and was unfairly refused entry to the U.S.
That very experience with racial profiling never left Kees Roorda and compelled him to want to
write about the killing of an unarmed 17-year-old Rishi Chandrikasing in 2021.
"A kid like Rishi" is being produced by the Origin Theater Company.
The play is set in a long room with a big wooden table in the center. Audience sits on all sides of
the room. There are couple of microphones set up on the table and throughout the play some
scenes are projected on the walls. Three amazing actors play multiple roles. When the play starts
a judge, (Sung Yun Cho, superb) declares the verdict. and the verdict is, "The district court in the
Hague deems legally and convincingly proven that the defendant intentionally inflicted grievous
bodily harm resulting in the death of the victim". But the defendant, a police officer is not
convicted even after this kind of verdict. One can only imagine what kind of uproar and protest
must have gone on after this horror which sounds quite familiar in many other parts of the world
where many murders are because of race and the victim's skin color. The play presents certain
witnessess, such as Rishi's mother played by Atandwa Kani in a heart breaking performance, - a
brilliant, sorrowful and passionate rendition of any mother who loses her young, innocent son in
an instant, never ever to see him again. Then there is a witness account given by a neighbor
(again played by Sung Yun Cho, who is amazing in all the roles. Kaili Vernoff also brilliantly and
boldly portray a few parts, such as a journalist, a police shooting instructor, all accounts gathered
from courtroom interviews and transcripts. They all perform in English translation by Tom
Johnston while the original duch transcripts are projected on the wall.
The scenography is by Guy de Lancey and it is extremely effective.
Some things, the accounts by the police, and of the bystanders are vague and murky. The most
important fact in this case is that the victim was unarmed. The police referes to him as a, "young
black man in a white coat." He is shot dead instantly. Imagine, after this kind of verdict, the
defendant, a police officer is not convicted. This is an acquittal. Horrifying, to say the least.
'A Kid Like Rishi" is superbly directed by Erwin Maas. It's not an easy play to direct but he is
brilliant in his great effort, and with an extremely successful result.
This play and the whole creative team left me in awe and tears. I have been constantly thinking,
thinking about "A Kid Like Rishi" and his mother and his family and his friends amid the awful
justice system in the world.
Bravo to Origin Theater Company for bringing this important play to New York.
Reviewed by
BINA SHARIF
ATCA
Editor/publisher: artsinternational.blogspot.com
email: binashariff@gmail.com
Mobile: 212-260-6207
Posts
