Written by Jackie Lubeck
Directed by Rafat Al-Aydi and Muriel Besemer
For these Summer Games of 2011, Jackie Lubeck has written a collection of four plays with the cover title “Entanglement.” The plays were written in the spirit of Gaza during the year where much of the population was concerned, also confused, about the future, of their work, their movement, and about the overall political situation. This was the starting point.
As a result, the four plays that were written looked at different groups within the population and how they got through a given day. In “The Grandfathers” we meet the oldest of our population, those men between 90-105 who still have something to say and who know the country from top to bottom. In “The Mothers” we find a group of all ages of women, from the pregnant new wife to the older woman whose 12 children have left the country. In “The Brothers” we hear from the male teenagers who are ready to fight anything, including each other, these boys who are the warriors at this age, regardless of the subject. And then in “The Sisters” we watch the youngest and most vulnerable ot the population and that is the little girls. The relations between these 16 people are the secret of the writer and provide a game for the many kids who saw more than one play and who tried to match up the families.
“The Mothers”
Their day starts in the morning and when meal preparation starts for each household, the mothers come together to talk as they prepare. For the most part they worry about their children. They watch and listen for any sign of trouble. Together as women, they share their fears as being responsible for their families and for protecting not only their children but their husbands some of whom are no longer with us. They worry about everyone. And their share every bit of knowledge they have among themselves. Spinache makes you ten years younger. This is how you juggle pots to make more room.
Im Ahmad is old, her 8 children have left the country and are scattered around the globe, her husband is spending all his time with his friends. She misses everyone. She refuses to go out because she afraid something will fall on her. Ward, with her eight children, is busy busy busy taking care of everything and everyone… all the time feeling responsibility for the world. Im Ramiz has six children and her husband disappeared and there is no news from him. She cries all the time. Maryam is a new wife and is very pregnant but is afraid to have this baby in these troubled times. And she wants to learn how to cook good. The moment the news mentions that troubles have begun, the women go into action, each one taking on a role to reach and protect the children and the men, and to make sure that each one will have a safe way back to home.
Group 1
Im Ahmad – Khitam Abu Kweik
Ward – Fadwa Jouda
Maryam – Hana Al-Ghoul
Im Ramiz – Israa Abu Shahla
Mother of the Doll – Falestine Al-Aarouqy
Supervisor – Zeinab Al-Mashharawi
Technician – Yasir Al-Kurdi
Loading – Hassan Enaia
Group 2
Im Ahmad – Hiba Aashour
Ward – Wala Muteer
Maryam – Maysa Al-Darbi
Im Ramiz – Yasmin Subuh
Mother of the Doll – Shaza Al-Hamalawi
Supervisor – Samya Hamada
Technician – Isra Wadi
Loading – Muhsen Abu Al-Kheir
Group 3
Im Ahmad – Hind Abu Hassanein
Ward – Maryam Al-Ostaz
Maryam – Amal Radwan
Im Ramiz – Anhar Al-Masri
Mother of the Doll – Elham Al-Ashram
Supervisor – Haya Abu Raida
Technician – Omar Al-Hawajri
Loading – Wafi Awad
Overall Artistic Supervision
Jan Willems, Rafat Al Aydeh, Liesbeth Coltof, Dennis Meyer
Educational Program
Rafat Al Aydeh & Muriel Besemer
Rosa Fontein & Lotte Kanters
Voice Training
Bart Kiene
Design and Technical Team
Riyad Al Akhras
Ashraf Sirhan
Ahmad Qadada
Mohammed Nofel
Ola Salem
Wessam Al-Dirawi
Ward Nassrallah
Administration
Randa Muhanna
Amal Abu Dawoud
Maryam Enaia
Kamal Shoublaq
Rawia Mushtaha
Hadeel Sous
Francis Tams
&
UNRWA
