After the Spring

Synopsis

A station in Beirut on 25th April 2011.

Bushra, a Syrian woman in her late twenties, embarks on a tense and uncertain journey from Beirut to Damascus with her baby. The play opens at the nearly deserted Charles Helou station, where Bushra meets Khalil, a Lebanese man in his late fifties, who is also desperate to reach Damascus. As they negotiate with the wary taxi driver, the backdrop of escalating conflict in Syria looms large. The journey is fraught with anxiety, revealing the characters’ personal stakes: Bushra’s urgent need to reunite with her husband and Khalil’s concern for his daughter’s safety in Damascus. The play culminates in a dramatic confrontation at the Masnaa border crossing, highlighting the human cost of political turmoil and the relentless pursuit of safety and familial connection.

After the Spring explores themes of displacement, familial duty, and the human fallout from political unrest. Through Bushra’s determined yet anxious narrative, the play explores the harrowing choices faced by those caught in the crossfire of revolution. Her dialogue with Khalil and the taxi driver uncovers layers of fear, resilience, and the pervasive uncertainty that war brings into everyday life. The play poignantly portrays how ordinary people navigate extraordinary circumstances, drawing attention to their vulnerability and strength.