Muscat, Sept 19 - The Al Din Arab festival, said to be the third biggest theatre festival in the Middle East, will be held in October at the Gulf College. The Al Din Theatre announced at a press conference the festival aims to showcase plays from the Sultanate as well as other Arab countries. With the slogan ‘Peace and Forgiveness’, it helps to gather actors and other interested people at one place and provide a creative environment for Oman and Arab youth. The festival will comprise three main competitions: Children, Adults and Street Theatre.
Five plays will be staged in children’s theater. They are: “The Clowns’, by Bani Yas group from UAE; ‘Mermaids’, by Carmen Company from Tunisia; ‘The Black Kingdom’, by Teatro Group from Kuwait; ‘In Every House’, by Al Jahawi Al Alama Theatre from Algeria; and ‘Panel Time’, by Media Force Company from Kuwait. The Adult’s Theatre will see five plays, which include ‘Options in Wartime’, by Takween Group from Oman; ‘Sneeze’, by Kuwait Theatre Group from Kuwait; ‘Mukashafat’, by National Group for Acting from Iraq; ‘Date with the Unknown Lover’, by AlRai Theatre Group from Oman; and ‘Hadhara Hurrah’, by Haraka Company for Dancing from Syria/Germany.
They plays in Street Theater are: ‘Poor Man (The Clown) by Al Sharjah Youth Theater from UAE; ‘Last Hope’, by Al Sharqiyah University from Oman; ‘People Symptoms for Sell’, by Al Salaam Theatre from Oman; ‘Mercy in a Picture’, by Al Hail Union Theatre from Oman; and ‘Al Halaaj’, by German University of Technology from Oman. In addition, Al Sharjah Youth Theater will participate with ‘training plays’ for children inside and outside the venue of the festival. The plays are ‘Samanhoor Days’, directed by Muri Al Halyan from UAE; ‘Lila and the Wolf’, directed by Al Asaad Al Mahwashi from Tunisia; and ‘Poor Man (The Clown), directed by Said Salama from Palestine.
The fest will see workshops. The first workshop, titled ‘Mechanisms of Writing and Directing Puppet Theater’, will be presented by Khitam al Sid, author and founder of Muscat Center for Dolls Arts — from Oman; Ahmad al Azki, dramatic writer and director — from Oman; Adnan Saloom, specialist director in child and puppet theatre, Theatre Society Supervisor, Al Sharjah Youth Theater Centre — from Syria; and Al Asaad al Mahwashi, Puppet Theatre Director — from Tunisia. It will be held at Al Tafawq School in Al Mawaleh.
The second workshop, titled ‘Dramatic Playing for Kids, which will be presented by Ababa al Atlas al Handiri, child theatre trainee and professional actress — from Tunisia. It will be held at Al Seeb International School in Al Khoud.
The third workshop, ‘Write Your Play’, will be presented by Othman al Shatte, a writer from Kuwait. It will be hold at Kaab bin Zaid School, Al Mawaleh.
The fourth workshop, ‘Street Theatre’, will be presented by Bashar Aliwi, a critic, director and professional in street theatre — from Iraq. It will be held at Gulf College. Finally, a workshop on ‘Theatrical Make-up... Colours, Shapes and Indication’ will be presented by Yaser Saif from Bahrain at Gulf College.
Taymora Al Ghawi
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