Ten Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith

by Yussef El Guindi

East meets West meets mayhem in this Muslim-American family comedy evoking universal themes of faith, culture, belonging, and desire. TEN ACROBATS adds a new chapter to the American immigrant narrative.

“What if Neil Simon wrote a lovable comedy about a Muslim-American family trying to hold itself together amidst the misunderstandings that run amuck and the comedy that ensues when the generations collide? It would probably resemble something like the surprisingly enjoyable, charming and oftentimes hilarious TEN ACROBATS IN AN AMAZING LEAP OF FAITH.” —Fabrizio O Almeida, New City Chicago

“With TEN ACROBATS IN AN AMAZING LEAP OF FAITH, playwright Yussef El Guindi takes the genre (of the immigrant experience) to a new place — the Arab-American experience post September 11, 2001. With humor, passion and a lovely touch of whimsy, he's created a theatrical experience that's not to be missed.” —Louis Weisberg, Chicago Free Press

“El Guindi’s engrossing play … finds a workable balance between sharp humor and head-banging angst, which shapes his story effectively.” —Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times

“Woven into this complicated family drama are scenes of delightful humor. Humanity is the substance that ties not only all of the characters together but also binds the audience to them. This play beautifully serves the purposes of drama, comedy, the artistic theatrical process and, perhaps most importantly, demystifying the hate that comes from fear of unknown cultures.” —Venus Zarris, Gay Chicago Magazine

“The drama comes from an emotionally vivid story that captures a world of anger, joy, love and frustration as it plays out in a Muslim-American family. The appeal lies in El Guindi's ability to transcend ethnicity while still writing a rich depiction of a Muslim family … The emotional difficulties could belong to any family of any (or no) religion … Smart, challenging, poignant, whimsical and at times, delightfully silly.” —Catey Sullivan, Pioneer Press

116 pages, Paperback

Published April 12, 2019

Reviews

[S A V A N A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm cognizant of the fact that there are nuances to this culture that I'm not aware of as it is not a part of my identity and, as such, I needed to be sensitive to that fact as I approached this text. It was an enjoyable read and I appreciated the author grappling with heavy topics like religion and sexuality. The moments of levity sprinkled throughout were also done really well.

Definitely a piece of literature that has left me thinking and wanting to discuss it with others.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Good. Highly recommend to absolutely anyone.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The truth is not a knife you stab someone with.” Wow. Beautiful.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didnt expect to like this so much