KING LEAR
BY SHAKESPEARE
IN A NEW LEBANESE ARABIC TRANSLATION BY NADA SAAB, RAFFI FEGHALI AND
SAHAR ASSAF
In 2016 The Faction were supported by British Council Lebanon and Theatre Initiative AUB to collaborate on a new translation of Shakespeare's King Lear. This groundbreaking project was celebrated for being the first ever production to be translated and performed in the colloquial Lebanese Arabic. Our Artistic Directors formed part of the core creative team, Rachel (Valentine Smith) worked as co-director with Sahar Assaf and Mark (Leipacher) worked as dramaturg and movement director.
The production featured stars of Lebanese stage and screen Roger Assaf, Rifaat Torbey and Fouad Yammine as well as emerging talent and recent graduates. As we shared tools of The Faction's ensemble and Shakespeare practice, we learned about the culture of Lebanese theatre practice. This collaboration was the beginning of a slate of work to investigate language and cultural practice.
#AUB150 #Shakespeare400 #LearinLebanon
THE COMPANY
Roger Assaf, Zeinab Assaf, Marielise Aad, Sahar Assaf, Bassel Madi, Hadi Deaibess, Rami Saidi, Abed Wahab Kassir, Bshara Atallah, Rifaat Torbey, Elie Youssef, Fouad Yammine, Rami Saidi, Sany Abdul Baki, Ali Itani, Safa Abou Diab, Samer Kanaan, Caline Zaker Zyad Ceblany Bilal Huneini
Co Directors Sahar Assaf and Rachel Valentine Smith
Translators Nada Saab, Raffi Feghali and Sahar Assaf
Dramaturgs Robert Myers and Mark Leipacher
Producer Robert Myers for Theatre Initiative AUB
Designer Ghida Hashisho
Costume Designers Bashar Assaf and Lary Bou Safi
Lighting Designer Fuad Halwani
Musical Director Hadi Deaibess
Movement Director Mark Leipacher
Musicians Noboko Myazaki, Daniel Balabane, Nayiry Ghazarian
Production Manager Maria Prince
Production Photography Alexy Frangieh
TVC Director Abdallah Zein el Deen
Stage management - Jad Batlouni and Ali Makki
'A VERY IMPORTANT THEATRICAL PRODUCTION...TWO HOURS OF THEATRE THAT IS ALIVE WITH A UNITY OF RHYTHM IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE PERFORMANCE'
AL MUSTAQBAL NEWSPAPER
'ALL ACTORS PLAYED THEIR ROLES BRILLIANTLY AND WITH A DISCIPLINED MASTERY OF PERFORMANCE.., ASSAF AND VALENTINE-SMITH SUCCEEDED IN WEAVING THE PRODUCTION AND MANAGING ITS MOVEMENTS WITH THE UTMOST FINESSE AND MASTERY OF SKILL WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO PRESENT THIS SPECTACULAR LEBANESE MODERN PERFORMANCE...VERY SUCCESSFUL'
ASSAFIR NEWSPAPER
'A PRODUCTION CAN CAPTURE AND SUSTAIN THE AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION ONLY IF IT IS SUPPORTED BY SKILLFUL STAGING... THIS IS THE CASE FOR THIS PRODUCTION THANKS TO THE DIRECTION… SILENTLY, THE AUDIENCE HOLD THEIR BREATH TO GRASP EVERY WORD AND EVERY THOUGHT AS THEY LIVE THIS TRAGEDY AS IT IS PLAYED OUT... ONE FEELS THE SATISFACTION OF HAVING WITNESSED A MASTERFUL WORK. AN ABSOLUTE DISCOVERY'
AGENDA CULTUREL
'IT WAS MORE THAN A THEATRE PERFORMANCE,.. IT IS NOT EASY TO PRESENT SHAKESPEARE. IT IS NOT EASY TO DO SO IN BEIRUT. NO ONE WANTS TO PRESENT SHAKESPEARE IN BEIRUT ANYMORE... IT IS DONE WITH SUCH HIGHLY TUNED ARTISTIC TOOLS AND WITH SUCH A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM AUDIENCES...MEANING HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE THEATRE…THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE REPEATED SOON… YES, LEBANESE THEATRE IS DOING QUITE WELL.
AL AKHBAR NEWSPAPER
