| The new generation of Arab dramatists and performance artists is most notably made up of very young practitioners from Lebanon and Egypt. Their work is characterised by experimental, interdisciplinary positions and a radical departure from Arab modernism. The pieces use the vernacular in a conscious distancing from traditional theatrical texts in classical Arabic. Many of the performance works feature video and new media. The young artists raise political issues and questions of identity within a context of pan-Arabism, fundamentalism, globalisation and current reorientation. They challenge Western clichés and are not bound by any national, religious or ideological restrictions. DisORIENTation’s theatre programme has been put together by Tarek Abou El Fetouh, director of the Young Arab Theatre Fund (YATF)in Egypt. He has selected one large production and three performance projects from Lebanon and Egypt. The sarcastic grotesque family piece “Life is beautiful or Waiting for my Uncle from America” by Ahmed El-Attar, certainly one of the most important young Arab dramatists, examines the daily life of an Egyptian middle-class family. The latest video performance by the Beirut-based director Abla Khoury, “10/20 irrelevant”, looks at the lives of three young Lebanese women in New York and their “American dreams”. “Egyptian Hostess Soap Opera”, by Sherif El-Azma, is about the typical dream job of many young Egyptian women: air hostess. The multimedia performance, which unites video sequences, live acting and DJ sets, is based on interviews with stewardesses. “Shutter Speed” is an experimental collaboration between the Lebanese choreographer Omar Rajeh, the dancer Bassem Adly and the Egyptian visual artist Nermine Hamam. The piece investigates male sexuality and calls into question typical masculine behaviour and rituals. Two of the performance projects in DisORIENTation have been developed with the help of the Young Arab Theatre Fund. This foundation supports the young Arab performing arts scene and is setting up theatre and production centres throughout the region. Programme Summary Thursday, 10 April 2003
>>> 8.00 pm, venue: K1
Ahmed El Attar: Life is beautiful or Waiting for my uncle from America
>>> 9.30 pm, venue: theatre
Omar Rajeh, Bassem Adly: Shutter Speed Friday, 11 April 2003
>>> 7.30 pm, venue: theatre
Omar Rajeh, Bassem Adly: Shutter Speed
>>> 8.00 pm, venue: K1
Ahmed El Attar: Life is beautiful or Waiting for my uncle from America Saturday, 12 April 2003
>>> 5.00 pm, venue: K1
Jalal Touffic: Irruptions of the Real
>>> 7.30 pm, venue: theatre
Sherif El-Azma: Egyptian Hostess Soap Opera
>>> 8.00 pm, venue: K1
Abla Khoury: 10/20 irrelevant Sunday, 13 April 2003
>>> 7.30 pm, venue: theatre
Sherif El-Azma: Egyptian Hostess Soap Opera
>>> 8.00 pm, venue: K1
Abla Khoury: 10/20 irrelevant
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