Introduction

Although Arab theatre - in the sense of stage plays - did not develop until the 19th century, the region has other dramatic traditions dating back hundreds of years. These include puppetry, storytelling and Ta'ziyah - a type of religious passion play performed in Shi'a communities.

For a variety of reasons, including censorship, theatre has never become an especially popular art form in the Arab countries and the limited number of theatres has led to the development of theatrical troupes who travel in search of audiences.

Probably the best on-line history of Arab theatre is by Roger Allen, extracted from "An Introduction to Arabic Literature" (Cambridge University Press, 2000).

Puppets

Khayal al-zill ( "shadows of the imagination" or "shadows of fancy") was a popular form of puppetry in medieval Cairo. The plays could be simple or elaborate, serious or farcical, and were appreciated by all classes.

Khayal al-zill was probably similar to the Turkish shadow puppetry known as karagoz (see Karagoz, the traditional shadow theatre of Turkey; Turkish shadow theatre and karagoz.net).

One of the key figures in shadow puppetry was the Iraqi-born poet/playwright Ibn Daniyal (died 1311), three of whose plays survive.

Shadows of fancy 
Shadow theatre in old Cairo, and a modern revival. By John Feeney (Saudi Aramco World, March-April, 1999).

Of Muppets and puppets 
By Caroline Stone (Saudi Aramco World, Sept-Oct, 1979).

Storytelling

Widespread illiteracy led to the development of oral folk literature throughout the Middle East in which professional storytellers recounted popular tales - often adding individual touches in the hope of collecting more money from their audience. Some story-tellers would accompany themselves on musical instruments or make dramatic gestures at appropriate points in the tale.

The last hakawati 
Barbara Nimri Aziz visits a surviving storyteller in old Damascus

Oral narrating and performing traditions   
By Deborah Folaron

Ta'ziyah

Ta'ziyah (or Ta'ziyeh) is usually described as a passion play. It is performed in Shi'a communities during the month of Muharram to commemorate the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussain, at the battle of Karbala in AD 680. 

"During the first nine days, religious notables recite, with great emotion, details from Hussain's life, while groups of men dance wildly in the streets inflicting wounds upon themselves with chains. On the tenth day, a symbolic coffin is carried in procession, followed by horses, bloodied men, and a steed representing Hussain's war-horse. The long performance, consisting of some forty to fifty scenes, is introduced by lamentations chanted by a male choir, answered by the mourning wail of a female choir." - The Mewar Encyclopedia. 

Ta'ziyah has not always been regarded favourably by the authorities, since Hussain ccan be regarded as the spiritual leader of the dispossessed.

People watching 
Report on a modern version of Ta'ziyeh staged in Rome (The Guardian, 14 July, 2003)

Birth of Arab theatre

Beginnings in Syria and Egypt 
By Roger Allen

Beginnings elsewhere in the Arab world 
By Roger Allen

Tawfiq al-Hakim 
Playwright extraordinaire (al-Bab)

Contemporary theatre

Egyptian drama after the revolution 
By Roger Allen

Recent trends elsewhere in the Arab world 
By Roger Allen

Cultures and Cockroaches 
A review of Tawfiq Hakim's Fate of a Cockroach by Pat McDonnell Twair

Theater traditions of the desert lands 
"The stage play is almost a newcomer to the Middle East, but a rich theatrical tradition is not." (Saudi Aramco World, May/June 1964)

Sadallah Wannous: his last five years, his greatest as playwright 
A tribute to the Syrian playwright who died in 1996, by Ali Alsouleman (al-Jadid magazine)

Sadallah Wannous' approach to theater  
By Fatme Sharafeddine Hassan

Sa'dallah Wannous calls for restoration of theater, the "ideal forum" for human dialogue (al-Jadid magazine)

Sa'dallah Wannous: a life in theater 
By Manal A. Swairjo (al-Jadid magazine)

Farewell to Sadallah Wannous  
By Elie Chalala (al-Jadid magazine)

el-Warsha 
The oldest independent theatrical group in Egypt

al-Hakawati 
Article about the Palestinian theatrical group by Hadani Ditmars (New Middle East magazine)

al-Hakawati on stage 
Story of the Palestinian theatre troupe, by John Christie