FRA approves establishment of five new firms for investment fund management, SME financing    Sukari Gold Mine showcases successful public–private partnership: Minister of Petroleum    Egypt's Environment Minister attends AMCEN conference in Nairobi    Egypt considers launching national platform to mobilise green financing for private-sector industrial transformation    Egyptian, Belarusian officials discuss drug registration, market access    Egypt's ARC, Italy's AICS sign deal to boost wheat production    Gold prices edge higher on July 16th    Egypt stocks hit record highs in 2025 as reforms fuel rally: Cabinet    Egypt condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Syria    Syria says it will defend its territory after Israeli strikes in Suwayda    Pakistan names Qatari royal as brand ambassador after 'Killer Mountain' climb    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Egypt's Health Min. discusses drug localisation with Sandoz    Egypt, Mexico explore joint action on environment, sustainability    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Egypt's PM urges BRICS to prioritise peace    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt's GAH, Spain's Konecta discuss digital health partnership    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



A kind of healing
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 28 - 04 - 2012

ALEXANDRIA - For about an hour, members of the audience were given the space to tell their own stories, talk about their feelings and share their thoughts with each other.
This technique, known as ‘playback theatre', involves the audience or group members telling stories from their lives and watching them enacted on the spot.
Launched in 1975 by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas, it has now been used for the first time in Egypt.
A group from actors from The Freedom Theatre in Jenin, Palestine, has got the audience to perform playback theatre during the ‘Hakaya Regional Meeting – Tales of an Arab Spring: Who Writes People's Histories?'
This four-day event is being held in Alexandria by the Arab Education Forum (Jordan), I-Act Institution (Egypt), el-Balad Theatre from Jordan, el-Mawared (Resources) Centre for Popular Arts from Lebanon and el-Warsha Troupe for Storytelling and Theatre from Egypt.
The Hakaya programme, which is funded by the EU, is an Arab/Mediterranean programme that believes in the importance of stories in people's lives.
Playback theatre is performed by a team of actors, an MC or conductor and a musician. As the show begins, the audience respond to questions from the conductor, then watch as the actors and musician create brief theatrical pieces on the spot.
Later, volunteers from the audience get up onstage to tell longer stories, choosing actors to play the main roles.
Although performances often focus on a theme of interest or concern, the performers follow no narrative agenda, but use their dramatic skills and their humanity to act out the concerns and experiences of the audience.
But the Palestinian troupe's message is deeper, because they perform mainly in their homeland.
"Palestinians need somebody to listen to them and care about their problems. That's how our idea started," said Palestinian actor Faisal Abu Heiga.
"We allow people to interact with each other and share their feelings. We are now preparing a new project entitled ‘Freedom Bus' [subtitled ‘A Ride for Justice'].
“This bus will travel all over Palestine, and on board there will be Palestinians, foreigners, artists, thinkers and other people. On the bus, we will listen to people's stories and imitate them in our playback theatre," he explained.
Interactive and spontaneous, playback theatre bases its material on the stories of the community. In theatres, workshops, and a wide range of educational and organisational settings, playback theatre draws people together and allows fresh perspectives.
"The bus will visit cities in Palestine that are being demolished and where the people are really suffering,” Abu Heiga explained.
The Freedom Bus is an initiative of The Freedom Theatre, a theatre and cultural centre in Jenin Refugee Camp.
From September 23 to October 1, people from around the world will take part in a nine-day solidarity ride through the West Bank of occupied Palestine, with Palestinian actors and musicians using playback theatre to perform the personal stories of community members.
Enactments will be based on autobiographical accounts about home demolitions, land appropriation, political imprisonment, the Separation Wall and other realities of life under Israeli occupation.


Clic here to read the story from its source.