Dubai, UAE; September 29, 2012: The Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre, a successful initiative by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) to promote the country’s youth talent in theatre, has announced a compelling line-up of plays in classic Arabic for the sixth edition to be held from October 1 to October 7 at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC) in Mall of the Emirates.
The classic Arabic plays selected for this year include: Al Jalad by the Dibba Al Hisn Theatre for Arts & Culture, Fabrication by Dubai National Theatre, and Ladder Laugh by the Sharjah National Theatre, while plays in Emirati Arabic include Red Soil by Al Ahli Theatre and Mud by Sharjah National Theatre.
Salem Belyouha, Projects & Events Director, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “This year, we placed a strong emphasis on the quality of plays being showcased at the festival. The selection represents the rich talent that our country has and the enthusiasm of our youngsters in theatre. Significantly, by featuring plays in classic Arabic, we are also contributing to preserving the creative flourish of our language while strengthening the Emirati national identity.”
Kicking off the Festival on October 1, is Ladder Laugh, which depicts a young man’s struggles to make ends meet for his family, and the burdens vis-a-vis societal growth, underlining how people are willing to destroy anyone that comes in the way of their goals.
Red Dirt, a love story of an Emirati couple and their relationship with other people, makes its appearance on October 2; while on October 3, Fabrication emphasises how daily problems faced by individuals are blown out of proportion in the eyes of the public, potentially appearing harmful to other community members.
A father’s emotional battle with his daughter for marrying a man of his choice is the theme of Mud, to be showcased on October 4.
Narrating the story of the struggles of a young girl and her husband, on October 5, Al Jalad will shed light on their survival. Upholding strong moral values, the play depicts how the couple overcomes their troubles with love and trust in each other
The showcase for the sixth edition of the Festival was shortlisted by the Festival’s Selection and Supervision Committee, and will be evaluated by a panel of accomplished jury members.
The line-up of plays will be showcased at 8:30pm daily. This year, Dubai Culture is offering simultaneous translation facilities for English-speaking audiences, widening the outreach of the Festival.
About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:
The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai Culture plays a critical part in achieving the vision of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 of establishing the city as vibrant, global Arabian metropolis that shapes culture and arts in the region and the world.
The organisation has announced several initiatives that strengthen the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai. These include: The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards: The first of its kind initiative in the Arab world honouring individuals and organisations who have made financial or in kind contributions through sustained support to visual arts, performing arts, literature and film in the region; Sikka Art Fair: An annual art fair aimed at promoting Emirati and local artists in the UAE; Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre: An annual festival that celebrates and fosters the art of theatre in the UAE; and Dubai Next: To encourage and sponsor initiatives that contribute actively to the development of the cultural events and activities in Dubai.
Samer Marzouq
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