Short Arabic Plays: An Anthology

by Salma Khadra Jayyusi (Editor)

Description

It is only in fairly recent times that Arab writers have turned their hands to the theater. This collection of nineteen short plays is evidence of the remarkable strides made as numerous playwrights have come to grips with the problems and potential involved with this genre. The essence of the collection is its sheer variety. The subject matter ranges from the horrors of a political prison camp to the comic tribulations of furtive lovers trapped in a minefield, from historical fable to the show more world of official bureaucracy, while dramatic treatments range from the conventional to the highly experimental, some using surreal techniques--now disturbing, now hilariously amusing. Many of the plays use humor or pungent satire to address distinctively Arab issues and problems, whether these have their source outside or inside the Arab world itself. The collection gives a valuable insight into a fast-changing and increasingly distinctive area of modern Arabic literature.Featured authors and plays:Yusuf al-'Ani -- Where the Power LiesFateh Azzam and others -- AnsarSamia Qazmouz Bakri -- The AlleyMahmoud Diyab -- Men Have HeadsAhmad Ibrahim al-Fagih -- The Singing of the StarsAlfred Farag -- The PersonTawfiq al-Hakim -- Boss Kanduz's Apartment BuildingTawfiq al-Hakim -- War and PeaceJamal Abu Hamdan -- Actress J's Burial NightWalid Ikhlasi -- Pleasure Club 21Riad Ismat -- Was Dinner Good, Dear Sister?Raymond Jbarra -- The TravelerSultan Ben Muhammad al-Qasimi -- The Return of Hulegu'Ali Salim -- The Coffee BarMamduh Udwan -- The MaskMamduh Udwan -- Reflections of a Garbage CollectorSa'd al-Din Wahba -- The Height of WisdomSa'dallah Wannus -- The Glass CaféSa'dallah Wannus -- The King's Elephant show less