←Recommendations of A Distinct Society

Kareem Fahmy’s A DISTINCT SOCIETY is a powerful and necessary play for our time. Set in a small library on the U.S./Canada border, the story eloquently demonstrates how the political is personal and vice-versa. Mr. Fahmy manages to tell a gripping tale that’s populated with rich characters, engaging dialogue, and tremendous emotional and thematic resonance. As a Persian-American, I am grateful to Mr. Fahmy for illuminating the plights and struggles of Middle Eastern immigrants in such a heartfelt manner. A DISTINCT SOCIETY celebrates fellowship over fear, people over policies, and humanity over hate.

Playwrights Foundation enthusiastically recommends this play, A DISTINCT SOCIETY, as a Semi-Finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020. We were moved by the quality of the writing and the relevant and compelling themes that spoke to the mission of our festival. It excelled in a competitive process of 735 plays submitted this year and rose to the top after a six month long process discussing its merits with both national and local Bay Area readers, and we hope it moves swiftly towards production.

Both intimate and expansive, A DISTINCT SOCIETY takes us to a unique location fraught with personal, political and intellectual meaning: a library on the border of the U.S. and Canada. What emerges is a prismatic character study of people yearning for connection in a context of corrosive nationalism, twisted further by our universal need to connect and be loved. I leaned into every compelling moment and each hungry character, and I learned some history I never knew. A special world.

Premiere Stages is pleased to recognize “A Distinct Society” by Kareem Fahmy as a semifinalist for the 2020 Premiere Play Festival. “A Distinct Society” rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of theatre professionals to become one of 26 semifinalists from 939 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by how the play deftly weaves together seemingly utterly disparate topics like Homeland Security, Quebec Separatists, and The Green Lantern. The dialogue flows well, and provides both clear objectives for each character even as they grapple with their political beliefs. Our congratulations and thanks to Kareem.

The singular space of the library helps to underscore the disparate motivations and baggage that propel these five very interesting and well-drawn characters through "A Distinct Society." Manon is a powerful axis for the play to revolve around, and each of the other characters traverses satisfying and surprising arcs. This ultra-specific, small piece manages to explore immigration politics, Canadian history, alienation, identity, and family dysfunction in just a few tightly written scenes. The dialogue is human, often funny, and astutely observed. The ending is a well-earned moment of theatrical magic. I hope to follow this play's trajectory!

A wonderfully insightful drama that ties together seemingly disparate topics from the Department of Homeland Security to Quebec Separatists to Green Lantern. By doing so it invokes our shared humanity, while at the same time skewering that which we let stand in the way.

A powerful journey connected to a magical place. Kareem dissects intersectionality with characters we learn to trust. The unfolding of the plot is worth your time.

A timely piece that is vitally needed more now than ever. Well done with a shattering ending that ensures this will not leave the audience. Bravo!