Great going festival

His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the activities of the Sharjah Desert Theatre Festival’s “8th Edition”, organised by the Department of Culture on Friday (“Sharjah Ruler launches Desert Theatre Festival,” Gulf Today, Dec.15).

The festival is being held till 17th December, in Al Kihaif area, Al Milehah road, Al Madam.

The inauguration was followed by a performance “Al Redaa’ Al Mukhadab Bil-Dimaa”, a play written by His Highness Sheikh Sultan, directed by Mohammed Al Amri and presented by the Sharjah National Theatre Band exhibiting fine dedication and hard work of all who worked behind its success.

The play embodies the courage and bravery of an Arab man, his loyalty and devotion to what he loves, his soul yearning for victory and triumph, and the sincerity of his feelings that ‘know no impossible’ and accept no alternative but victory. The play uses the desert environment to portray the Arab world. It also uses modern displaying technologies to show the background for the play.

The different inventive techniques used in the performance included storytelling, poetry, exhibits, and the use of camels and horses within the scenarios. Various visual elements were also incorporated to develop a specific theatre environment and to effectively deliver the message and themes of the play to the audience.

Shawn Jose Verghese, Sharjah, UAE