Arab Theater Today consists of a two-day seminar in Amsterdam, with shorter versions of the program in The Hague, Utrecht, and Rotterdam. Expanding on subjects raised in the book Doomed by Hope: Essays on Arab Theatre, edited by Eyad Houssami (Syria), Arab Theater Today includes presentations by festival artists and experts in theater and dance from the Arab World.
The book, a collection of essays by writers and artists tracing the history of contemporary Arab theater and its relationship to social change, is one of the first English language volumes on Arab theater. Houssami himself participates as both presenter and co-moderator. With special thanks to Prince Claus Fund and Hivos.
Arab Theater Today – Utrecht is about theater from the Arabic World in general and Tunisian theater in particular. Eyad Houssami gives a presentation on contemporary Arabic theater called Making Theater without Theater Infrastructure. Following the presentation, Sigrid Merx, lecturer Theater Studies at Utrecht University, interviews theater director Ezzeddine Gannoun and playwright Leila Toubel of El Hamra Theater from Tunisia. They talk about their own development and motives as theater artists in Tunisia, about themes and trends in contemporary theater in Tunisia, and about their performance Monstranum’S. The talk concludes with a question and answer session with the public.
This program is part of the Why Theatre?! series, organized by Theatre Studies, Utrecht University, and is a collaboration between Het Huis and Dancing on the Edge. It can be combined with a Tunisian meal, and the performance Monstranum’S with an after talk.
