The Abu Dhabi Week team danced, sang and acted their way around the capital, to bring you this guide to the performing arts
Revamping Revivals
Maggie Hannan, the mastermind behind Resuscitation Theatre, says: “We resuscitate classic texts, that’s the whole idea, hence the name. I love classic literature and love the way that it is still relevant today”.
Resuscitation Theatre recently put on The Rivals as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival. Billed as innovative theatre with an Emirati twist, the production presented an adaptation of the restoration comedy by Richard Sheridan. Actors performed in costumes that blended both Emirati traditional clothing with 18th century English finery and interspersed their lines with exclamations in Arabic.
Reflecting the diversity of the capital city, the fringe group is made up of a variety of ethnicities, including Emirati’s, South Asians and Westerners. Always looking for new talent, Hannan hosts open auditions for every show.
For more information visit: www.resuscitationtheatre.com
Student Theatrics
Not your typical student-performed play, the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) campus’ recent production of The Ramayana sold out an hour after tickets went live. Hosted in collaboration with the NYUAD Institute, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, and Theater Mitu, four shows were performed at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Rubén Polendo, director of the theatre programme and artistic director of Theater Mitu said: “The Ramayana was performed solely by students, the design and music was done in collaboration with Theater Mitu. We had 19 students acting and 25 student apprentices – involved as designers, directors and various other roles supporting the production.”
Using hyper-theatric tools such as puppets, large masks and stylised movements, the play incorporated a combination of theatre traditions from around the world.
“I feel like there is a great amount of possibility in Abu Dhabi. The exciting part is that there’s a huge interest from the audience and desire to be engaged in the conversations we’re having. Abu Dhabi has a history of performance and my interest is to create a sense of continuity. The more there are, the greater the conversation, the greater the instinct to see theatre and view it as necessary. There’s a sense of completing each other, that different voices form an interesting choir of ideas. It’s ever developing.”
Polendo hopes to host one or two student productions each year.
For more information visit: www. nyuad.nyu.edu and www.theatermitu.org
Break a leg!
The Brighton College Players are keen to get started. Currently rehearsing for their debut performance, An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley, the play was postponed earlier in the year when the lead actor Ed Cousens broke his leg playing rugby. Ed, the director of drama at Brighton College, has since recovered; and as they say, the show must go on!
This amateur dramatic society formed early this year and aim to encourage members of the Brighton College community and wider Abu Dhabi society to come together through a love of theatre. Open to all, members come from a variety of backgrounds and include participants interested in acting, costume design and set production.
Kerry Marie Coburn, the play’s director says, “I’ve never had the opportunity to direct until now. It is a completely different approach to interpreting texts – as an English teacher I am so often focused on close reading of literature; it provides a whole other dimension to form a work on the stage.”
Set to perform their first play on 17th May, you can purchase tickets or get involved by emailing:
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Abu Dhabi Choral Group (ADCG)
This four-part harmony choir is made up of 50 men and women from all over the world. The Abu Dhabi Choral Group produces at least two shows per year and is currently rehearsing for their upcoming musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress. They need production helpers to take on some fun roles backstage.
Are you interested in helping with sets, makeup, sound, lighting, stage management or crew? If so get in touch with ADCG as soon as possible. “You don’t have to be skilled for backstage work. It’s easy, fun and you will learn so much from the experience. In theatre you have to make on-the-spot decisions and the skills that you pick up doing production work are applicable to all aspects of life,” says Laura Roberts, chairperson of the ADCG.
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy retelling of the fairytale classic The Princess and the Pea. The show takes place on 31st May to 2nd June at 8pm with an additional performance on 1st June at 3:30pm. Tickets cost AED 50 to AED 80 and go on sale 29th April at Spinneys, Khalidiya.
For more information email:
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Voices of Harmony
This women’s barbershop group sing a cappella style (without accompaniment). They have performed at the US embassy, Emirates Palace, Crowne Plaza, the Cultural Foundation and the Officers’ Club.
Voices of Harmony are welcoming new members to start in September 2012 - rehearsals will take place at Brighton College from September onwards. A friendly audition process is required as is a solid commitment to attend their rehearsals on a regular basis. Voices of Harmony meets every Wednesday evening at 7pm.
For more information email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sawaiba Khan and Catriona Doherty
