All the world’s a stage

THE RED CARPET has been laid out, the stage has been set, and the city of Dubai is ready for an unparalleled showcase of theatre performances, at the sixth edition of the Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre, a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.

The festival will host five compelling narratives in classic Emirati Arabic, written and directed by prominent UAE-based theatre groups, at 8:30pm daily, until October 7 at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC), in Mall of the Emirates.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “Over the past six years, the Festival has achieved numerous tangible results – from setting the base for a robust theatre landscape – to helping audiences evolve into discerning enthuasiasts, further inspiring the next generation of artists to pursue their passion.

“We are confident our sixth and our boldest edition yet, will continue to lend momentum to the new wave in Dubai and the UAE’s theatre scene, while providing a wider audience with vivid insights into one of the most celebrated art forms,” he added.

The line-up at the sixth edition of the Festival includes classic Arabic plays Al Jalad by the Dibba Al Hisn Theatre for Arts & Culture, Fabrication by Dubai National Theatre, and Ladder Laugh by the Sharjah National Theatre; and Emirati-Arabic plays Red Soil by Al Ahli Theatre and Mud by Sharjah National Theatre.

A jury comprising five veteran theatre professionals, including Walid Imran Jassim Al Jallaf, Director of the Office of International Relations at the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Community Development; Mari Mohamed Said Mohamed Halian, Director of the Sharjah Modern Theatre; renowned actor and playwright Jamal Ahmad Ali Sumaiti and theatre director Hameed Saleh, will adjudicate the plays and honour the winners on the closing night.

In keeping with its tradition of recognising the industry’s most significant contributors, this year the Festival will honour Mariam Sultan, the veteran Emirati actress and founding member of the Sharjah National Theatre, who has been crowned as the ‘Mother of Emirati Theatre Artists.’

In addition, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority will also host a photography exhibition, celebrating visual and performing arts. Honouring the participants from the workshop held during the fifth edition under the supervision of Professors Saeed Al Shamsi and Jassim Al Awadhi, the exhibition features works by 10 Emirati photographers including Said Ahmed Mohamed, Samia Mohammed, Ali Jamal, Ammar Al-Attar, Fatima Al Jallaf, Fahad Ahmed Abdel Wahed, Maysoon Al Ali, Milad Nabhan, Nadira Badri, and Nasser Al Mansouri.

This year, the Festival will offer simultaneous translations of the Arabic plays, providing a wider audience with an inherent understanding on one of the region’s oldest artforms.