4 days ago
Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival concludes its 8th edition
'Profile 'concludes
the shows
The audience on the final night watched the Egyptian play 'Profile', performed by the "Layali Al-Masri" troupe. Nahed El-Tahan wrote the play, Enas Al-Masri provided dramaturgy and direction, and actors Mai Reda and Nashwa Mohammed performed.
A fusion of mythology and literature
The play presents an imaginative meeting between Medea—a mythological Greek figure who exacted brutal revenge on her unfaithful husband—and Amina, a character from Naguib Mahfouz's 'Cairo Trilogy'. In this portrayal, Amina is reimagined as a modern Egyptian woman who accepts her difficult life, dedicating herself to her family and running a TikTok cooking channel as a means of livelihood.
Differing views on marriage
The encounter between Medea and Amina, separated by centuries, highlights contrasting perspectives on marriage. Medea embodies anger and vengeance in response to betrayal, while Amina values preserving her home and caring for her daughters, overlooking her husband's marriage to another woman in his quest for a son.
Enriched performance
Staged in a realistic setting, the performance relied on dialogue to draw out the ideological divide between the two women. Video projections illustrated Medea's mythical journey from the sun to Earth and reflected Amina's engagement with social media. Music and sound effects helped transition between scenes and added emotional depth to specific moments.
Critical session
A post-performance critical session, moderated by Egyptian theatre artist Fady Nashat, saw participants commend the efforts of the team and the play's ambition in addressing the societal status of women.
Diverse programme
The eighth edition of the Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival, which began on Friday, 23 May, featured five theatrical productions, including 'Profile'. Other performances included '17 Hours' by Sharjah National Theatre, 'Individual Salvation' by Syria's Tajamu Ashjar troupe, 'Life and Dream' by Morocco's Al-Shamat Theatre, and 'To Prepare a Boiled Egg ' by Kuwait Theatre. The festival also hosted the 20th Sharjah Arab Theatre Forum and held three workshops for school theatre facilitators in directing, scenography, and puppetry.
A festival founded to foster theatrical exchange
Established in 2016, the Dibba Al Hisn Duo Theatre Festival was launched in response to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, with the aim of expanding and diversifying theatrical activity in the emirate and building bridges of communication and knowledge exchange between Emirati and Arab theatre professionals.
