A new production by an Emirati playwright places the ending in the audience’s hands
If you think going to the theatre means sitting in the shadows and leaving the action to those on stage, think again.
The English version of ‘The Great Redeemer’ by Emirati playwright Saleh Karama Al Ameri is debuting in the capital, and the audience will decide how the story goes.
Director Zakaia Cvitanovich says, “For the first time in the Middle East, the audience will pick the ending. There are three different choices – which will be explained – and the public can vote for the one they wish to see.”
This means that if you were to attend all three performances, the play may end differently each time.
The plot revolves around seven characters living in a city marred by civil unrest. When a date between a man and a woman turns sour, it is left to each individual to decide what their moral boundaries are.
Acclaimed playwright Saleh, who has been writing since the 1970s and is billed as a pioneer of Emirati theatre, says, “This play talks about the conflict between greed and innocence. It’s about humanity,
and how we react when normal rules of society appear to no longer be valid.”
Zakaia adds, “I think of Saleh as the Emirati Shakespeare because his writing is poetic and thought-provoking, and he writes very interesting female characters.”
‘The Great Redeemer’ is the first production by Beyond The Veil, a theatre company founded by Zakaia in a bid to share stories by Arabic playwrights with English and Arabic-speaking audiences. The play is staged in English, but future productions will be performed in both languages.
Details:
When: 25th to 27th March, 8pm-9pm
Where: Conference and Lecture Hall, 1st floor, The National Theatre, 17th Street, behind Al Jazeera Stadium.
Tickets: Suggested donation AED 25 for students, AED 50 for adults
Contact: 056 601 3560
[email protected]
www.beyondtheveilad.com
