Antigone

17th International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama:
Palestinian National Theater

Land and the Wall

Why a Palestinian Antigone

Because the play speaks of the relationship between human beings and the land, of the love that each individual has for his native land, of the bond with the land. Because Creon, blinded by his fears and his obstinate ways, forbids the burying of a dead person in the very ground which gave witness to his birth. And because he condemns Antigone to be entombed alive. And because, following the prophecies of Teiresias and the death of his own son, Creon realizes the error of his ways and vows to make up for the injustice that has been committed.

Oedipus was the former ruler of Thebes. At his death, his sons, Eteocles and Polineices, decide to share power between them: each will rule for one year. Eteocles becomes king, but after a year, he refuses to give up his place to Polineices. So Polineices gathers an army with the help of the Argossians and attacks Thebes. The two brothers end up by killing each other.

After this fratricidal war, Creon, their uncle, becomes king. He decides to give full burial rights to Eteocles and to throw Polineices’ corpse to the dogs. Antigone is opposed to this decision. She wants to bury her brother Polineices, in contravention to the law laid down by Creon. So Creon condemns Antigone to death. Haemon, son of Creon and fiancé to Antigone, then tries to save the young woman he loves. The tragedy builds, and war is declared between the dead and the living.

Cast

Text in Arabic: Abdel Rahman Badawi
Direction: Adel Hakim
Set and lighting design: Yves Collet
Music: Trio Joubran
Costumes: Shaden Salim
Lighting technician: Léo Garnier
Sound technician: Nicolas Favière
Set technician: Antoine Raullin
Set construction: Abd El Salam Abdo in collaboration with ateliers Jipanco
Video: Matthieu Mullot and Pietro Belloni

With actors of the Palestinian National Theatre:
Hussam Abu Eisheh, Alaa Abu Garbieh, Kamel Al Basha, Yasmin Hamaar, Shaden Salim, Daoud Toutah

A co-production of National Palestinian Theater (Jerusalem), Théâtre des Quartiers d’Ivry (Paris) with the contribution of the General French Consulate in Jerusalem, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Palestinian National Theatre

The words "Palestinian National Theater" takes it for granted that this is a theater which receives financial support from its own government, but the reality is that the Palestinian National Authority, as well as the theater, live under occupation. In line with the bilateral agreements, it is forbidden for the Authority to subsidize institutions in Jerusalem. Moreover, the Palestinian National Theater, being legally registered in Jerusalem, could ask for subsidies from the Israeli government. But, as a Palestinian organization, the directors of the theater discount this possibility in order to maintain its freedom in putting on shows. The result is that Palestinian National Theater is solely dependent on international aid and overseas partnerships in the pursuit of its activities as the only Palestinian theatre in the city of Jerusalem.

In order to overcome the continued closing in of Jerusalem, this occupied city, and in order to maintain solid links with the Palestinian community, the Palestinian National Theater organizes tours and programmes with theaters in the West Bank. These "beyond the walls" programs are a way of bringing theater to audiences unable to make the journey to the theater themselves and of bringing together the Palestinian community that are involved in different art forms.

For several years now, and despite the testing times that have been endured, the Palestinian National Theater has been able to collaborate with numerous partners from France (Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Théâtre des Quartiers d’ Ivry, Compagnie La Barraca, Festival de Marionnettes de Charleville), Norway, Great Britain, United States of America, Denmark, and Holland amongst others.

Tickets

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