Após uma digressão europeia, Fadhel Jaïbi e Jalila Baccar, fundadores do grupo de teatro tunisino "Familia", apresentaram no seu país o espectáculo
Tsunami, em que se evoca a divisão profunda no seio da sociedade tunisina, onde islamistas se confrontam com democratas. Nesta partição teatral a duas vozes dissonantes, há duas formas de apropriação do espaço. Uma passa pelo desdobramento do corpo, especialmente o feminino, pela libertação de uma sexualidade demasiado tempo reprimida. A outra é tão só deslocações furtivas, bruscas como uma tempestade em pleno Verão. Uma homenagem à vida contra um culto da morte.
Pelo seu interesse, transcrevemos a notícia de
"Tunisialive", sobre a estreia no anfiteatro de Cartago:
«Tuesday night, thousands of theater lovers flocked to the amphitheater in
Carthage to attend a performance of Tsunami, a much-anticipated play by
Fadhel Jaïbi. The play artfully tackles concerns over the future of Tunisia
and what some see as the rise of radical Islam in the country.
A sense of doom prevails as the play begins. The stage is engulfed in a dim
light followed by the appearance of actors playing the roles of “religious
extremists.” After emerging, they start singing the Tunisian national anthem,
but, to the surprise of the audience, it is an altered version of the familiar
song. The characters keep the same tune but change the lyrics to evoke their
wish to represent God’s rule on earth and the enforcement of Sharia (Islamic
law). Yet, soon the voice of a woman begins to rise in an attempt to transcend
the other voices, growing louder as she sings the original lyrics of the
anthem.
Set in 2015, the play examines on the conflict between the growing threat
of religious radicalism through the story of one Tunisian woman. The story
depicts a 25-year-old woman who is the daughter of an Islamic leader. She flees
home after learning of her family’s plan to arrange her marriage. She
then meets Amina, a leftist human rights activist in her sixties. Amina is
distraught to see how her dreams to implement real change are thwarted by
Islamist groups.
“No more fear! Two weeks after my disappearance, I decided to take off my
veil, which I was convinced to wear since the age of nine,’’ says the young
woman.
“Today I freed myself from you with the insight of God, and I have no more
fear,” she continues. “My fear today is about my country, whose rulers are
engrossed in implementing provocatively theocratic rule following the model of
the Arab dictatorships. This fear is growing as the thoughts of our youth
revolt are poisoned.”
The play guides its audience with allusions to significant moments of the
revolution, and pays tribute to the assassination of leftist politician Chokri
Belaïd through touching and expressive depictions of actors falling to the
stage, simulating his death.
The plot addresses what the director sees as the country’s current identity
crisis by highlighting an ideological polarization marking Tunisian society.
Tsunami delves into the intricate details of a potential clash that, in the
artist’s vision, would drive the country into a bloody strife.
The skillful performance of the actors captured the audience, who followed
the evolution of events in silence, only letting go a brief sigh or
occasionally applauding the powerful statements spoken on stage.
The play culminates in the announcement of the religious leader declaring
Tunisia under radical Islamic rule. The stage then plunges in a confusing
silence, only to be broken by a child telling her grandmother about a dream in
which she sees Tunisia erased by a “a big wave.”
The play’s director, Fadhel Jaïbi, discussed the background for the play in
a press conference on Monday.
“The streets and schools now are full of niqabi and veiled
women. They say it is a social phenomenon and many advise to wait until it is
over,” he said. “This work exposes a reality where radical Islam rules. This
girl decides to defend Islam and enters a conflict with her family. She
eventually takes off her veil without questioning Islam.”
“We secular and democrat Tunisians and I am proud to be one of them, call
to return to our true religion,” he continued. “I am Muslim culturally, and the
protagonist in Tsunami dared to tell extremists that this Islam is not Islam.’’
“There will be an earthquake,” Jaïbi asserted. “There will be a coup d’etat
and they will overthrow democrats, and there it is, a tsunami. People who saw
it said I am a pessimist.”
“Tsunami contains predictions about the future of the country. Such
predictions are not the product of sorcery but they are the result of using
analysis. It [the idea of the play] came at a time when we started to feel
frustration among people…with the conflict between private and public space
after years of Ben Ali’s rule.”
“A tsunami is a natural disaster. Yet, its effect on people, economy, and
nature is radical. It sweeps everything,” Jaïbi concluded.»
Tuesday night, thousands of theater lovers flocked to the amphitheater in Carthage to attend a performance of Tsunami,
a much-anticipated play by Fadhel Jaibi. The play artfully tackles
concerns over the future of Tunisia and what some see as the rise of
radical Islam in the country.
A sense of doom prevails as the play begins. The stage is engulfed in
a dim light followed by the appearance of actors playing the roles of
“religious extremists.” After emerging, they start singing the Tunisian
national anthem, but, to the surprise of the audience, it is an altered
version of the familiar song. The characters keep the same tune but
change the lyrics to evoke their wish to represent God’s rule on earth
and the enforcement of Sharia (Islamic law). Yet, soon the
voice of a woman begins to rise in an attempt to transcend the other
voices, growing louder as she sings the original lyrics of the anthem.
Set in 2015, the play examines on the conflict between between the
growing threat of religious radicalism through the story of one Tunisian
woman. The story depicts a 25-year-old woman who is the daughter of an
Islamic leader. She flees home after learning of her family’s plan to
arrange her marriage. She then meets Amina, a leftist human rights
activist in her sixties. Amina is distraught to see how her dreams to
implement real change are thwarted by Islamist groups.
- See more
at:
http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/07/17/tsunami-a-new-play-envisions-tunisia-under-radical-islamic-rule/#sthash.SRB6hT6V.dpuf
Tuesday night, thousands of theater lovers flocked to the amphitheater in Carthage to attend a performance of
Tsunami,
a much-anticipated play by Fadhel Jaibi. The play artfully tackles
concerns over the future of Tunisia and what some see as the rise of
radical Islam in the country.
A sense of doom prevails as the play begins. The stage is engulfed in
a dim light followed by the appearance of actors playing the roles of
“religious extremists.” After emerging, they start singing the Tunisian
national anthem, but, to the surprise of the audience, it is an altered
version of the familiar song. The characters keep the same tune but
change the lyrics to evoke their wish to represent God’s rule on earth
and the enforcement of
Sharia (Islamic law). Yet, soon the
voice of a woman begins to rise in an attempt to transcend the other
voices, growing louder as she sings the original lyrics of the anthem.
Set in 2015, the play examines on the conflict between between the
growing threat of religious radicalism through the story of one Tunisian
woman. The story depicts a 25-year-old woman who is the daughter of an
Islamic leader. She flees home after learning of her family’s plan to
arrange her marriage. She then meets Amina, a leftist human rights
activist in her sixties. Amina is distraught to see how her dreams to
implement real change are thwarted by Islamist groups.
More on Tunisian theater:
“No more fear! Two weeks after my disappearance, I decided to take
off my veil, which I was convinced to wear since the age of nine,’’ says
the young woman.
“Today I freed myself from you with the insight of God, and I have no
more fear,” she continues. “My fear today is about my country, whose
rulers are engrossed in implementing provocatively theocratic rule
following the model of the Arab dictatorships. This fear is growing as
the thoughts of our youth revolt are poisoned.”
The play guides its audience with allusions to significant moments of
the revolution, and pays tribute to the assassination of leftist
politician Chokri Belaid through touching and expressive depictions of
actors falling to the stage, simulating his death.
The plot addresses what the director sees as the country’s current
identity crisis by highlighting an ideological polarization marking
Tunisian society. Tsunami delves into the intricate details of a
potential clash that, in the artist’s vision, would drive the country
into a bloody strife.
The skillful performance of the actors captured the audience, who
followed the evolution of events in silence, only letting go a brief
sigh or occasionally applauding the powerful statements spoken on
stage.
The play culminates in the announcement of the religious leader
declaring Tunisia under radical Islamic rule. The stage then plunges in a
confusing silence, only to be broken by a child telling her grandmother
about a dream in which she sees Tunisia erased by a “a big wave.”
The play’s director, Fadhel Jaibi, discussed the background for the play in a press conference on Monday.
“The streets and schools now are full of
niqabi and veiled
women. They say it is a social phenomenon and many advise to wait until
it is over,” he said. “This work exposes a reality where radical Islam
rules. This girl decides to defend Islam and enters a conflict with her
family. She eventually takes off her veil without questioning Islam.”
“We secular and democrat Tunisians, and I am proud to be one of them,
call to return to our true religion,” he continued. “I am Muslim
culturally, and the protagonist in Tsunami dared to tell extremists that
this Islam is not Islam.’’
“There will be an earthquake,” Jaibi asserted. “There will be a coup
d’etat and they will overthrow democrats, and there it is, a tsunami.
People who saw it said I am a pessimist.”
“Tsunami contains predictions about the future of the country. Such
predictions are not the product of sorcery but they are the result of
using analysis. It [the idea of the play] came at a time when we started
to feel frustration among people…with the conflict between private and
public space after years of Ben Ali’s rule.”
“A tsunami is a natural disaster. Yet, its effect on people, economy,
and nature is radical. It sweeps everything,” Jaibi concluded.
-
See more at:
http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/07/17/tsunami-a-new-play-envisions-tunisia-under-radical-islamic-rule/#sthash.SRB6hT6V.dpuf
Tuesday night, thousands of theater lovers flocked to the amphitheater in Carthage to attend a performance of
Tsunami,
a much-anticipated play by Fadhel Jaibi. The play artfully tackles
concerns over the future of Tunisia and what some see as the rise of
radical Islam in the country.
A sense of doom prevails as the play begins. The stage is engulfed in
a dim light followed by the appearance of actors playing the roles of
“religious extremists.” After emerging, they start singing the Tunisian
national anthem, but, to the surprise of the audience, it is an altered
version of the familiar song. The characters keep the same tune but
change the lyrics to evoke their wish to represent God’s rule on earth
and the enforcement of
Sharia (Islamic law). Yet, soon the
voice of a woman begins to rise in an attempt to transcend the other
voices, growing louder as she sings the original lyrics of the anthem.
Set in 2015, the play examines on the conflict between between the
growing threat of religious radicalism through the story of one Tunisian
woman. The story depicts a 25-year-old woman who is the daughter of an
Islamic leader. She flees home after learning of her family’s plan to
arrange her marriage. She then meets Amina, a leftist human rights
activist in her sixties. Amina is distraught to see how her dreams to
implement real change are thwarted by Islamist groups.
More on Tunisian theater:
“No more fear! Two weeks after my disappearance, I decided to take
off my veil, which I was convinced to wear since the age of nine,’’ says
the young woman.
“Today I freed myself from you with the insight of God, and I have no
more fear,” she continues. “My fear today is about my country, whose
rulers are engrossed in implementing provocatively theocratic rule
following the model of the Arab dictatorships. This fear is growing as
the thoughts of our youth revolt are poisoned.”
The play guides its audience with allusions to significant moments of
the revolution, and pays tribute to the assassination of leftist
politician Chokri Belaid through touching and expressive depictions of
actors falling to the stage, simulating his death.
The plot addresses what the director sees as the country’s current
identity crisis by highlighting an ideological polarization marking
Tunisian society. Tsunami delves into the intricate details of a
potential clash that, in the artist’s vision, would drive the country
into a bloody strife.
The skillful performance of the actors captured the audience, who
followed the evolution of events in silence, only letting go a brief
sigh or occasionally applauding the powerful statements spoken on
stage.
The play culminates in the announcement of the religious leader
declaring Tunisia under radical Islamic rule. The stage then plunges in a
confusing silence, only to be broken by a child telling her grandmother
about a dream in which she sees Tunisia erased by a “a big wave.”
The play’s director, Fadhel Jaibi, discussed the background for the play in a press conference on Monday.
“The streets and schools now are full of
niqabi and veiled
women. They say it is a social phenomenon and many advise to wait until
it is over,” he said. “This work exposes a reality where radical Islam
rules. This girl decides to defend Islam and enters a conflict with her
family. She eventually takes off her veil without questioning Islam.”
“We secular and democrat Tunisians, and I am proud to be one of them,
call to return to our true religion,” he continued. “I am Muslim
culturally, and the protagonist in Tsunami dared to tell extremists that
this Islam is not Islam.’’
“There will be an earthquake,” Jaibi asserted. “There will be a coup
d’etat and they will overthrow democrats, and there it is, a tsunami.
People who saw it said I am a pessimist.”
“Tsunami contains predictions about the future of the country. Such
predictions are not the product of sorcery but they are the result of
using analysis. It [the idea of the play] came at a time when we started
to feel frustration among people…with the conflict between private and
public space after years of Ben Ali’s rule.”
“A tsunami is a natural disaster. Yet, its effect on people, economy,
and nature is radical. It sweeps everything,” Jaibi concluded.
-
See more at:
http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/07/17/tsunami-a-new-play-envisions-tunisia-under-radical-islamic-rule/#sthash.SRB6hT6V.dpuf
