Three Gazan women behind an all-female theater
Nisaa FM: - The all-female drama group marks a first in Gaza’s male-dominated theater scene, where men and men’s issues dominate the stage. Social customs have long prevented Palestinian women from appearing alongside men in theatrical productions. In many plays, female roles are played by men.
The three women are Wissam Dirawi, Alaa Salem and Manal Barakat, and they founded Bozour for Culture and Arts ("bozour" is Arabic for seeds) in 2016. Dirawi is the director, Salem is responsible for the cartoons and animations programs, and Barakat is the scriptwriter and production designer. The scriptwriting, directing, photography, decoration and lighting is all done by women.
“Hashtag” – a play promoting the values of stability
The all-female theater troupe has taken Gaza’s top issues such as immigration and family ties to the stage with a play called "Hashtag."
"Hashtag" is a drama with a cast of 13 children, including 10 boys and three girls aged 10-14. Director Dirawi says, “It is the story of three children with big dreams. One of these children, Mouin, decides to run away to discover what lies behind the port of Gaza, toward Europe.” His path intersects with those of a fisherman and a guard at the port. At the end they talk Mouin into staying in his homeland. Mouin realizes that his happiness lies in his homeland and with family and friends.
Dirawi says that "Hashtag" promotes values of stability and shows young people that immigration is not the only solution. “[The message] is to encourage them to stay in Gaza, despite the difficult economic and social conditions,” she says.
The play was performed for one consecutive month in several areas such as the Nuseirat Refugee Camp and onstage at the Saeed al-Mashhal Theater, near the Beach Refugee Camp. “These areas are marginalized and in dire need of artistic and dramatic works to educate children and residents.” Dirawi says.
Big hopes for the future of theater in Gaza
Director Dirawi hopes the theater will become more widespread in Gaza. “We also need to enhance the role of women, children and the youth through theater in terms of conveying their societal issues,” she says, adding, “We must establish a drama school to raise generations capable of creating artistic works so that theater in Gaza will become significant both at the local and the [regional] Arab levels.” According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2016 there were only three theaters in the Gaza Strip of a total of 14 in Palestine.
Speaking about the most important difficulties they face, Dirawi says, “We suffer from a lack of financial support. The majority of the plays are produced independently and with limited funding from some local NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. We do not own a theater to present our works."
Source: www.al-monitor.com