SHARJAH: Theatre is often the place that actors and directors avail of to express the public’s views about various political and social issues. This observation came to life during the showcasing of a Syrian play at the second edition of Dibba Al Hisn Festival for Bilateral Theatre, held recently.
The play, entitled “Dream”, was about a story of a thirty-year-old man, who was writing a play script, but his effort was often interrupted by war, forcing him to change the script’s plot several times.
Sari Mustafa, writer and director of the play, came all the way from Lebanon to the UAE along with Abdelrahman Dukmak, an actor in the play, Eman Nawaya and Thaer Shkeir, technicians of the play. The quartet share a dream of returning to life as it was in their once peaceful country.
The four men moved from Syria to Lebanon in search of refuge. They overcame several challenges to be able to attend the festival and share their message with Arab theatre enthusiasts about the state of theatre in Syria; that Syrian theatre is still alive and kicking, with more plays being churned out telling the story of the current state of life in Syria.
Mustafa and Dukmak acted the two characters of the play. The play started on an odd note, with Mustafa explaining the message it carried. Then, the play started. A transparent plastic cover at the edge of the theatre made the sound lower to the audience. Also, a digital video was used as a background for several scenes.
Theatre specialists explained that this technique was used to tell the audience that you can see what is really happening in Syria, but you cannot hear properly what people are saying and feeling there.
The Gulf Today met the four men and asked them about their journey to the UAE. Firstly, they expressed amazement at the 24/7 electricity supply; secondly, they said they were in love with Dibba Al Hisn for its location between the sea and the mountain.
Commenting on Arabic theatre, Dukmak said, “I believe in theatre. It is the only place that gives respite from life’s unending curve balls. I really wish that the Arabic theatre keeps developing to a level that befits its potential.”
Furthermore, Shkeir praised the role of the festival, especially considering that it is the first of its kind in the MENA region that focuses on bilateral theatre – a unique kind of acting that only involves two actors.
The festival, which was organised by the theatre department in the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah, lasted five days, showcasing five different plays from Lebanon, Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria, and the UAE. The Dibba Al Hisn Cultural Centre attracted a big audience ranging from various age-groups and nationalities.
