Tartous-SANA
The play "Dervishes Cafe" has premiered at the Arab Cultural Center in Tartous, narrating human experiences of loss and attachment to the land through a musical performance combining acting and music. The work is based on a book by writers Mousaaf Al-Sheikh Ali and Bana Khoudour, and reflects the stories of six characters whose experiences intersect in the cafe during events spanning from 2011 to 2022.
Stories of Six Characters Between 2011 and 2022
The performance tells the story of a group of young people driven by war to leave the country in search of safety, where the roles of six characters intertwine in the cafe through a musical acting performance. The work was prepared and directed by Ali Abdul Hamid, in collaboration between the Directorate of Theaters and Music and the Syrian Theater in Tartous, the Tartous Directorate of Culture, and the Voice of the Theater Troupe affiliated with the Syrian Engineers Syndicate – Tartous Branch.
Music and Singing in Presenting the Story
The presenter and director of the show, Ali Abdul Hamid, clarified in a statement to SANA that presenting the work in a semi-musical theatrical format aims to convey its humanistic messages through music and singing. He pointed out that he performs the role of the employee who was turned into a dervish by the war, noting that the work participated in the Central Syrian Theater Festival as part of the Hama Sub-Festival events and was performed in Masyaf.
Abdul Hamid added that the artist portraying the character Pascal won the award for best actress, noting that the lack of financial and logistical support constitutes the most prominent difficulties facing Syrian theater, calling for the provision of necessary resources to continue performances.
Pascal.. Symbol of Attachment to the Land
For her part, artist Zahra Qassab, who portrays the character Pascal, said that the character symbolizes the homeland rooted in its land; she is the owner of the cafe that brings the characters together and provides them with familiarity and love. She explained that the gradual departure of the characters while Pascal remains expresses attachment to the land and belonging to it, mentioning her feeling of closeness to the character and her return to the theater after an absence lasting about 12 years.
The Work Team
For their part, Hala Hussein and Ola Atiyyah, from the Activity and Media Committee of the Syndicate, said that the show comes within the activities of the Syndicate to support the artistic and cultural talents of engineers, and to highlight the experience of engineer and writer Bana Khoudour, in coordination with the Syrian Women Engineers Committee. The cast included Zahra Qassab, Layla Muhammad, Wissam Abbas, Hassan Muhammad, Hussein Al-Halou, Haydar Zayda, and Ali Abdul Hamid, while Saadallah Mishaal Naima managed the troupe and Rana Abu Al-Jadail managed the stage.
Efforts to Revitalize Cultural Movement
Ali Abdullah handled the set design, Muhammad Qahouji the lighting, Ahmad Jumoul the sound, Khaled Hamoud the accessories and costumes, Amjad Sigrai the music, and Hamza Hamoud the rhythms, while the group and Zahra Qassab participated in composing the songs. The show comes within the efforts aimed at revitalizing the cultural and artistic movement in Tartous, and providing theater as a space to express human and social issues and the effects of war on the lives of individuals and society.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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