Photo by Mohammed al Anbouri
It's one of the liveliest events organized for students by the Ministry of Education and this excitement can be felt as students hurried toward the stage of Dohat al Adab Theatre in Muscat.
To promote purposeful theatrical presentations that tackle national and social issues, the ministry also looked into enhancing students' cultural and intellectual awareness highlighting the importance of theatre as a platform for artistic expression and social commentary, particularly within the educational context.
The 9th edition of the School Theatre Festival was participated by several schools from the seven different governorates and on the day of the event itself, they were eager to share the fun and excitement with their peers, exchanging conversations and laughter as the show progressed.
The event was attended by His Excellency Mohammed bin Said Al Balushi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, in the presence of His Excellency Dr Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education, and His Excellency Ismail Abdullah, Secretary-General of the Arab Theatre Organization. Several dignitaries, artists, and media personalities were also in attendance and were delighted by the children's performances.
Raiya Al Jabriyah, Director of the Educational Activities Department at the Ministry of Education, shared, "The festival targets theatre activity groups to compete with purposeful theatrical presentations, addressing a range of national and social issues, and enhancing students' cultural and intellectual awareness."
The organizing committee also announced during the opening ceremony the participation of the Omani Theatre Association in the competition for the Best Integrated Theatrical Production Award at the end of this festival.
The opening commenced with a dazzling performance by student Bilsan bint Ayman, who called upon the Omani screen star and veteran theatre actress Amina Abdul Rasool to join her in a welcoming theatrical sketch for the guests. Abdul Rasool shared her beginnings on the school theatre stage in a pleasant and encouraging dialogue with the students.
Following this, the play "Bint Al Sayyad" (The Fisherman's Daughter) was presented as the first performance in the festival by the Education Directorate of Muscat Governorate, written by Abdul Razzaq Al Rubai.
Osman bin Adnan Al Saidi from Abdullah bin Salam School, who played the role of the fisherman, commented on the story of the play, saying, "I played the role of the fisherman in the play, and I have a daughter named Jawhara who possesses supernatural powers. When she cries, it rains, and when she is happy, she produces a pearl from her mouth. The prince heard about her talent and wanted to marry her, but her father's wife got rid of her by contacting the witch who turned Jawhara into a dove and married the prince to her other daughter Malikah, only for the prince to discover that Malikah was not the intended one, and that the fisherman cheated him."
Reflecting on this experience, he added, "This is my second theatrical appearance. I previously presented a play at the governorate level, which gave me the courage and confidence to appear in front of people and deliver my lines. And here I am today presenting my second play and participating at the national level, it was a beautiful and enriching experience, and I was delighted by the presence of many people who came to watch us."
Israa Al Habsi, who played the role of the supporting character in the play, said, "I felt a great sense of pride being on the stage, and I am very proud of the work and proud of my colleagues who participated in the play. I was happy to have my family and friends in the audience."
She added, "We spent more than three months practising, during which we discovered our hidden talents that we did not know about."
Ten-year-old Lana Abdullah Hamouda from Al Safwa School said, "I enjoyed watching the play 'Bint Al Sayyad' and admired the role of the witch, her laughter was powerful. But I was sad when she turned Jawhara into a dove, and I was happy when she was freed from the spell. I also liked the other characters, the prince, the minister, the fisherman, Jawhara, and everyone. It was a beautiful performance."
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