World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre : The Arab World (World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre, Vol 4)

324 Pages·1999·29.13 MB·English

by  Don Rubin

T h e
W O R L D
E N C Y C L O P E D I A OF
C O N T E M P O R A RY
T H E AT R E
VOLUME 4
THE ARAB WORLD
EDITOR
Don Rubin
York University, Toronto
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH/MANAGING EDITOR
Catherine Matzig
HONORARY PATRON
James Earl Jones
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
CONTEMPORARY THEATRE
CORPORATION
Calvin G.Rand (Buffalo), President
Lucie Amyot (Toronto), Marion Andre (Stratford), Janis A.Barlow (Toronto),
Leonard W.Conolly (Peterborough), Seth Feldman (Toronto), Pia Kleber (Toronto),
Lionel Lawrence (Hunter’s Hill, Australia), H.lan Macdonald (Toronto),
Mavor Moore (Victoria), Gwendolyn Page (London), E.Marshall Pollock (Toronto),
George C.White (New York)
Rolf Rohmer (Leipzig), President, International Executive Board
A PROJECT OF
THE INTERNATIONAL THEATRE INSTITUTE
THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR THEATRE RESEARCH
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE CRITICS
THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS
FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
WITH THE SUPPORT OF UNESCO
AND THE UNESCO WORLD DECADE FOR CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
The
WO R L D
E N C Y C L O P E D I A OF
C O N T E M P O R A RY
T H E AT R E
VOLUME 4
THE ARAB WORLD
DON RUBIN
LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published in 1999
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
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© 1999 The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre Corporation
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
This encyclopedia is a project implemented with the support of UNESCO and at the request
of four non-governmental organizations. The opinions expressed in the various articles are
those of the authors themselves and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the
sponsoring organizations.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available on request.

ISBN 0-203-16804-6 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-203-26322-7 (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0-415-05932-1 (Print Edition)
INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL BOARD
EUROPE (Vol. 1) Samir Sarhan (Realization)
Director, Egyptian Book Organization, Cairo
Regional Editors
Péter Nagy
Regional Coordinator
Academy of Science, Budapest
Ahmed Zaki
Philippe Rouyer
International Theatre Institute, Cairo
Director, Theatre Research Centre
University of Bordeaux III
Regional Associate
Farouk Ohan
Regional Associate
Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi
Melitina Kotovskaia (dec.)
National Institute for Arts Research, Moscow
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (Vol. 5)

THE AMERICAS (Vol. 2)
Regional Editors

Regional Editor Chua Soo Pong (Southeast Asia)
Carlos Solórzano Director, Chinese Opera Institute, Singapore
National Autonomous University of México Ravi Chaturvedi (Central Asia)
University of Jaipur, Jaipur
Regional Associates Ramendu Majumdar (Central Asia)
Arthur Holmberg International Theatre Institute, Dhaka
Brandeis University, Boston Minoru Tanokura (East Asia)
Erminio Neglia Secretary-General, AICT, Tokyo
University of Toronto Katharine Brisbane (Pacific)
Publisher, Currency Press, Sydney
AFRICA (Vol. 3)

Editorial Advisor
Regional Editors
James R.Brandon
Ousmane Diakhaté (Francophone)
University of Hawaii
Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar

Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh (Anglophone)
University of Buea, Cameroon BIBLIOGRAPHY/CUMULATIVE INDEX
(Vol. 6)

Editorial Adviser
Consulting Bibliographer
Atta Annan Mensah
Natasha Rapoport
York University, Toronto
Toronto

THE ARAB WORLD (Vol. 4)
Consulting Editors
Regional Editors Irving Brown
Ghassan Maleh (Planning) Theater Research Data Center, City University
Academy of Dramatic Arts, Damascus of New York
Rosabel Wang Wolfgang Wöhlert (Theatre for Young
Theater Research Data Center, City University Audiences)
of New York Carousel Theatre, Berlin

CONSULTING EDITORS
SPECIALTY EDITORS

Patricia Keeney
Irving Brown (Bibliography)
York University, Toronto
Theater Research Data Center, City
Manfred Linke
University of New York
Free University of Berlin
Selma Jeanne Cohen (Dance Theatre) Anton Wagner
Editor, International Encyclopedia of Dance, York University, Toronto
New York
PHOTO EDITOR
Henryk jurkowski (Puppet Theatre)
Former President, UNIMA, Warsaw Catherine Matzig
Horst Seeger (Music Theatre)
Former Director, Dresden State Opera
The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Finland, Hungary, India, Netherlands,
Theatre would like to acknowledge with Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic,
sincere thanks the financial contributions of Switzerland, United States and Venezuela
the following: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Division of
Cultural and Scientific Relations
REGIONAL SPONSORS Japan Foundation Cultural Centre, Bangkok

Japan Foundation, Toronto
Canadian Department of Communications
Henry White Kinnear Foundation
Ford Foundation
Ministry of the Flemish Community
Japan Foundation (Asia Centre)
(Cultural Affairs)
Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture
Moldovan Theatre Union
Rockefeller Foundation
Organization of American States
Routledge
Polish Ministry of Culture
Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Republic of Macedonia Ministry of Culture
Council of Canada
K.M.Sarkissian and the Zoryan Institute
UNESCO
Conn Smythe Foundation
York University
Turkish Embassy in Canada
NATIONAL SPONSORS
LOCAL SPONSORS
Autonomous National University of México
Marion Andre
Cameroon National UNESCO Commission
Arts Development and Promotions
Canadian National UNESCO Commission
Australian Council
Cultural Ministry of France
Mariellen Black
Department of Foreign Affairs and
Lyle B.Blair
International Trade of Canada
Canadian Theatre Review
German Centre of the ITI
Centre de Recherches et de Formation
Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, Damascus
Théâtrales en Wallonie
Mexican National UNESCO Commission
Max Clarkson Foundation
Joseph S.Stauffer Foundation
Joy Cohnstaedt
University of Bordeaux
Freda’s Originals
Cheik Anta Diop University, Dakar
H.lan Macdonald
Herman Voaden
John H.Moore, FCA
Woodlawn Arts Foundation
Erminio G.Neglia
STATE SPONSORS Farouk Ohan
Ontario Ministry of Skills Development
Apotex Foundation
Peter Perina
Austrian Ministry of Education and the Arts
E.Marshall Pollock
Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family
Rodolfo A.Ramos
Foundation
Calvin G.Rand
Floyd S.Chalmers
Lynton Reed Printing
Faculty of Fine Arts, York University
Don Rubin and Patricia Keeney
Finnish Ministry of Education
St Lawrence Centre for the Arts
FIRT
Storewal International Inc.
Georgian Ministry of Culture
Anton Wagner
Greek Ministry of Culture
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
International Theatre Institute (Paris) and
National Centres in Bangladesh, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic,
Special thanks to: Kerenyi (Hungary), Myles Kesten (Canada), Valery
Khasanov (Russia), William Kilbourn (Canada), Pierre
Margrethe Aaby (Norway), Eric Alexander (Nether- Laville (France), George Lengyel (Hungary), Henri
lands), Ebrahim Alkhazi (India), Ina Andre (Canada), Lopes (UNESCO), Meredith Lorden (Canada), Paul
Gaida Barisone (Latvia), Curtis Barlow (Canada), Lovejoy (Canada), Margaret Majewska (Poland), Lars
Isabelle Barth (France), Alexei Bartoshevitch (Russia), af Malmborg (Sweden), Georges Manal (France),
Shaul Baskind (Israel), Jean Benedetti (United Suzanne Marko (Sweden), Bonnie Marranca (New
Kingdom), Eric Bentley (United States), Don Berkowitz York), Vivian Martinez Tabares (Cuba), Ruth R.Mayleas
(Canada), Mariellen Black (Canada), Lyle B.Blair (United States), Giles R.Meikle (Canada), Paul-Louis
(Canada), Gaston Blais (Canada), Monica Brizzi (Italy), Mignon (France), lan Montagnes (Canada), Mavor
Robert Brustein (United States), John Bury (United Moore (Canada), Richard Mortimer (Canada), Judi
Kingdom), Judith Cameron (Canada), Richard Cave Most (United States), Julia Moulden (Canada), Irmeli
(United Kingdom), Katarina Ciric-Petrovic (Serbia), Niemi (Finland), Farouk Ohan (United Arab Emirates),
Martin Cloutier (United States), Joy Cohnstaedt Louis Patenaude (Canada), Oskar Pausch (Austria),
(Canada), Martha Coigney (United States), Communi- Andre-Louis Perinetti (International Theatre Institute),
cations Committee (International Theatre Institute), Natasha Rapoport (Canada), Donald S.Rickerd
Leonard W.Conolly (Canada), Robert Crew (Canada), (Canada), Roehampton Hotel (Canada), Charles-
Renee L.Czukar (Canada), Esther A.Dagan (Canada), Antoine Rouyer (Canada), Mr and Mrs Irving Rubin
Gautam Dasgupta (United States), Donna Dawson (United States), Marti Russell (Canada), Raimonda
(Canada), Susan Frances Dobie (Canada), Jason Sadauskiene (Lithuania), Suzanne Sato (United States),
Dunda (Canada), Francis Ebejer (Malta), Krista Ellis Willmar Sauter (Sweden), Richard Schechner (United
(Canada), John Elsom (United Kingdom), Claes States), Petar Selem (Croatia), Malgorzata Semil
Englund (Sweden), Debebe Eshetu (Ethiopia), Martin (Poland), Mary Ann Shaw (Canada), Neville Shulman
Esslin (United Kingdom), Alan Filewod (Canada), (United Kingdom), Mikhail Shvidkoi (Russia), David
Stephen Florian (Malta), Joyce Flynn (United States), Silcox (Canada), Phillip Silver (Canada), Singer Travel
Mira Friedlander (Canada), Julia Gabor (Hungary), (United States), Ron Singer (Canada), Mike Smith
Bibi Gessner (Switzerland), Madeleine Gobeil (Canada), Prince Subhadradis Diskul (Thailand),
(UNESCO), Mayte Gomez (Canada), Sevelina Gyorova Anneli Suur-Kujala (Finland), Peter Szaffko (Hungary),
(Bulgaria), Rene Hainaux (Belgium), Bartold Halle Carlos Tindemans (Belgium), Graham Usher (Canada),
(Norway), Peter Hay (United States), Ian Herbert Indrassen Vencatchellum (UNESCO), Janusz
(United Kingdom), Nick Herne (United Kingdom), Warminski (Poland), Klaus Wever (Germany), Don B.
Frank Hoff (Canada), Eleanor Hubbard (Canada), Wilmeth (American Society for Theatre Research),
Huang Huilin (China), Djuner Ismail (Macedonia), Claudia Woolgar (United Kingdom), Yoh Suk-Kee
Jasmine Jaywant (Canada), Stephen Johnson (Canada), (South Korea), Piet Zeeman (Netherlands), Paul Zeleza
Sylvia Karsh (Canada), Naïm Kattan (Canada), Ferenc (Canada).
DEDICATION
This series is dedicated to the memory of Roman Szydlowski of Poland (1918–83), a former
President of the International Association of Theatre Critics. His vision for all international
theatre organizations was truly world-wide and his tenacity in the service of that vision was
genuinely legendary. It was Dr Szydlowski who first proposed the idea for a World Encyclo-
pedia of Contemporary Theatre.