News 2011

Five Dials is a literary magazine published by Hamish Hamilton, edited by Craig Taylor. Number 21 features contributions from Jonas Hassen Khemiri (3 short stories!), Raymond Chandler, Del the Funky Homosapien, Kid Koala and members of Liturgy, Los Campesinos!, Beirut and Great Lake Swimmers. Download for free here.

Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s Obie Award-winning play Invasion! returns to NY by popular demand for Off-Broadway run. Previews September 6 prior to opening September 13 at The Flea Theater. Produced by Play Company.

Khemiri’s second novel Montecore has been published by Knopf in the US. And with perfect timing the Play Company performs Khemiri’s first play Invasion! in New York.

Khemiri reads at the PEN World Voices festival: A Literary Safari, Thursday April 28, Westbeth Home of the Arts, Community Room, 155 Bank St., New York City. 6:30 p.m. With (among others) Amélie Nothomb, Mircea Cărtărescu, Deborah Eisenberg, Marcelo Figueras, Hervé Le Tellier and Lynne Tillman.

Then a quick book tour with other PEN Writers: Washington D.C, Philadelphia, Boston (with Elif Shafak, Harvard Bookstore).

REVIEWS FOR MONTECORE:

The book was listed as a New York Times Editor’s Choice!

“funny, ambitious, and inventive. Also black: rage and tragedy pulse beneath the fireworks…a potent chemical mix.”/The New York Times Book Review

“To those whose experience of Swedish fiction has been as bleak as Nordic winter, Montecore arrives as a sunny revelation. An exuberant account…the novel in fact challenges assumptions about Swedish identity…[A] rollicking tale.” /Barnes & Noble

“[A] vibrant story of culture, class, and family history enlivened by Khemiri’s subtle wit and voice.” /Publishers Weekly

REVIEWS FOR INVASION!:  

The play was chosen as a New York Times Critics Pick!

“a slyly entertaining comedy with a sharp political edge. (…) expresses confusion with remarkable clarity.” /The New York Times

“If you’ve ever wished somebody would write a razor-sharp play anatomizing lazy paranoia about the Middle East―somebody has.” /The Village Voice

“Ask no more questions. Do not hesitate. This is without a doubt one of the best plays I have seen this entire season – and that includes Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. It’s an extremely intelligent, linguistically complex, politically charged, attention grabbing, rapid-fire tour de force for each of its 75 sharply written, cunningly directed, and superbly acted and deliciously well received minutes.” /New York NearSay

“one of the best social commentaries in dramatic form of the past few years, and you owe it to yourself to see it as soon as you can.” /CurtainUp

“in the hands of director Erica Schmidt and in the voices and interpretative moments of all four ensemble actors, this play is funny, sad, and thoroughly engaging.” /Berkshire Fine Arts

“Playfulness and seriousness intermingle to disturbing – and awfully satisfying – effect.” /Theater Mania

“this is a high-energy, often hectic experience, with theatrical and political ideas bouncing off each other like pinballs.” /Backstage

“It’s a stimulating, challenging, and rewarding ride.” /NY Theatre

“Snarky and subversive, Invasion! hits home without pulling punches (…) truly remarkable production (..) whip-smart and deftly dealt production and a must see for anyone who’s sick of America’s political dead weight and the present dramatic doldrums.” /Theasy.com 

“exceptionally put together by the playwright who has entertainment as well as enlightenment of some very serious subject matter on his mind (…) the perfect production to wake you from those winter doldrums.” /OscarMoore.com

“When you’re in the hands of totally confident, committed theatre artists – well, there’s nothing like it. (…) The Play Company finds relatively unknown contemporary international playwrights with something to say. This is one of their best finds yet.” /Lighting&Soundamerica

A recent Time Out review of the British production of the play can be found here.