Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah

Theatre 10€

Thursday 3 December · until 4 Dec

Khashabi Theatre presents the legendary Arab saga Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah, following the migration of the Bani Hilal tribe and the extraordinary life of Abu Zaid al-Hilali, in a show combining songs, dance, shadow theatre and puppets.

Synopsis Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah, or The Epic of the Bani Hilal, is a legendary Arab saga, passed down orally since the 14th century. Often called the "Arab Iliad," it has crossed the centuries but today risks disappearing, preserved only by a handful of poets in Egypt. Khashabi Theatre presents the migration of the Bani Hilal tribe from Najd, in the Arabian Peninsula, to Tunisia. The show follows the extraordinary life of Abu Zaid al-Hilali, a boy exiled because of the colour of his skin, who becomes one of the most famous legends of the Arabs. Bashar Murkus rewrote the text based on documentation and rare recordings of the ancestral poets who sang the saga. The words merge with the aesthetics of Palestinian folklore and Arab performance styles. The staging revives ancient theatrical techniques and imagines how they might have evolved free from the influence of Western conventions and European colonialism. On stage, young performers use songs, dance, shadow theatre and puppets to create a show full of music, imagery and poetry. Artistic Team creation Bashar Murkus and Khulood Basel Khashabi Theatre Palestine text and direction Bashar Murkus translation Shahd Wadi dramaturgy Khulood Basel performance Abed Zoabi, Adan Rabos, Atallah Tannous, Maisan Miso Samara, Maya Omay Keesh, Rami Nakhleh, Rana Baransi set design Majdala Khoury lighting design and technical direction Muaz Al Jubeh sound Moody Kablawi musical composition and direction Habib Hanna musical production and arrangements Khalil EPI live music Rami Nakhleh choreography of the Dabke dance segment Samaa Wakim puppet construction Vita Hleihil design assistance and stage management Nancy Mkaabal executive production and tour manager Samera Kadry production Khulood Basel - Khashabi Theatre Palestine co-production DE SINGEL Center - CARTA Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Cité internacional de la langue française, Théâtre des 13 vents , Espoo Theatre Teatre Nacional de Catalunya co-presentation of the company Khulood Basel, Khashabi Theatre Palestine: Teatro do Bairro Alto, Teatro Municipal do Porto and Teatro Nacional D. Maria II Creation based on the Syrian (Ash-Shamiyyah) version of the Bani Hilal epic, on the documentation of researcher Abdel Rahman Al-Abnoudi, on the versions of two great poets of Upper Egypt, Jaber Abu Hassan and Sayed Al-Dawi, and on the stories of our grandmothers. TNDM II, TMP and TBA have established an institutional partnership to host the company Khulood Basel, Khashabi Theatre Palestine in Portugal, jointly promoting the presentation of the shows Al Sirah Al Hilaliyah (at TMP and TNDM II) and Yes Daddy (at TBA), in a logic of cooperation between cultural structures to strengthen artistic circulation and public access to international contemporary creation. Prices Stalls - €18 Tribune - €37.50 1st Balcony - €14 2nd Balcony - €10 Boxes 1st Order - €10 Boxes 2nd Order - €10 Discounts Families Groups (+10 people) Young people (up to 30 years old) Specific Needs People Unemployed People Show Professionals Seniors (+65 years)