Yesterday evening, as part of the Salalah Autumn Season organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in the Sultanate of Oman, the play “Sidrat Al Sheikh” inspired by the novel “The White Sheikh” by His Highness Sheikh was presented. Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
The play was staged at “Ubar” Theater by Mr. Governor of Dhofar Governorate. Presented in the presence of Marwan bin Turki Al Said and His Excellency Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Owais, Head of the Department of Culture in Sharjah. , Ahmed Burahima, Theater Executive Director of the Department and several officials and visitors from Dhofar Governorate.
Produced and directed by artist Imad Al-Shanfari, the play was presented by the Salalah Art Group with a combination of performance and visual solutions.
The Omani drama is a retelling of the novel “The White Sheik”, which is based on a true incident that took place in the early nineteenth century and is about Johannes Paul, a young American, His Highness the ruler of Sharjah. The crew of the merchant ship “Essex” to the Arabian Peninsula survived a fierce battle, the ship’s captain and sailors were killed, and he enjoyed protection and care at the house of Muhammad bin Aqeel in Dhofar, where he imbibed the culture. He became a prominent figure in the region and named “Abdullah Bin Muhammad”.
The play “Sidrat Al Sheikh” presented last February within the framework of the fourth session of the Sharjah Gulf Theater Festival won two awards for acting and sound effects. As Athimedawi, the ruler of Sharjah in the previous show, the new version seemed more… It is denser in its dialogue content and closer to the aesthetics and arts of the sea and the popular environment, which added more to the theatrical scene. The historical context was created for the story, based on various sources, the ruler of Sharjah, his highness’s visit to Salem, and geographical studies of the events that took place in the “Hero of Truth” in America, before he moved east, in search of Johannes’ descendants in Dhofar and its museums and documentation centers. learned about
At the end of the program, Mr. Marwan bin Turki Al Said praised the Emir of Sharjah’s efforts in supporting Arab culture: “We were delighted with the play adapted from the novel The White Sheik. Appreciating the fraternal relations between the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman, it was the noble interest of the Ruler of Sharjah to display it in the Sultanate of Oman, along with the fall of Salalah, after it was first shown in Sharjah.
Imad Al-Shanfari was proud to present the play, praising the artistic and directorial additions directed by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. He said that Arab theater is witnessing a significant renaissance and wider theater movement at the local, Gulf and Arab levels. Thanks to His Highness for the care and support he gives to the theatre.
He added: “The emirate of Sharjah has played an important role in supporting the theater movement in the Arab countries and the Gulf region as it stands behind all its artist sons and only the Omani thespian is the twin of his Emirati brother for seizing his opportunity on stage in Sharjah Al Khair.
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