Desert Theatre’s forum explores aesthetics of Arab folk narratives

Discussions on drama and heritage

Abdullah Rashid explained that the guests of the intellectual forum at the Desert Theatre Festival discussed, during their presentations, questions surrounding desert theatre and the aesthetics of narratives and folk tales, raising inquiries about how the dramatic aesthetics of folk narratives contribute to creating new theatrical elements. He pointed out that the forum aims to highlight the artistic and cultural value of epics and folk tales and how Arab heritage can be drawn upon to produce innovative theatrical performances.

Importance of presenting folk narratives

Rashid added, in statements to “Sharjah 24”, that it is important to present folk narratives at the festival, which represents their natural environment, and to explore how directors will approach these epics in a modern way. He noted that the festival has a prominent place on the Arab cultural map, having presented more than 40 theatrical productions from various Arab countries over its nine editions.

Exploring dramatic and aesthetic influences

Participants in the intellectual forum will examine the role of aesthetic and dramatic influences, as well as the epic characteristics of Arab folk narratives, in enriching performance and directing techniques in desert theatre productions. Participants in the forum include Omar Ghobash and Abdullah Rashid from the UAE; Hamadi Mezzi and Youssef Mars from Tunisia; Abdelrazek Hussein from Egypt; Adel Adresi and Fawzia Labied from Morocco; and Wafaa Al Shamsi from Oman.