Libyan theater disappeared completely under the sound of the sound of cast bullets for more than 7 years, and its return to the forefront again has become unattainable. However, coinciding with World Theater Day – which falls on March 27 of each year – the initiative of the Libyan “Hon Media” team came to present a remarkable theatrical performance in the city of “Hon” in the center of the country. The play “The Door” is an artistic work that once again opened the way for the return of life to Libyan theatre. It monitors, through five characters, the file of administrative corruption in government institutions and the attacks on them by armed groups with the aim of exploiting them.
In the wake of battles
According to the show’s organizers, its story revolves around five characters who enter an abandoned government place, before the place is attacked by outlaw armed groups. The scenario deals with the issue of corruption and the paralysis of institutions. The writer of the play, Ayoub Mustafa, said in a press interview that these characters represent all segments of society, from the government employee and the simple citizen, to outlaws, pointing out that the message of the show is to monitor good and evil, while emphasizing that the human soul is naturally inclined to good.
Renewed attempts
The success of the presentation of the play Al-Bab was the culmination of several previous attempts by the same team to revive the Libyan artistic theatre, where it worked on presenting many performances, most notably “Voices” and “Crying in the Absence of the Moon.” The theater in the Libyan town of Hun dates back to the 1940s, and was provided with only wood and barrels. However, after the 2011 revolution – against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi – the theater completely declined in Hun in the wake of its comprehensive decline in Libya in general.
Government comment
Advisor to the Chairman of the Theater Affairs Authority, Hassan Qarfal, said in a press statement, “Libyan theater is currently concerned with a very important issue, which is moving away from tribalism, regionalism, wars, and hate speech.” He added that Libyan theater is expected to present committed performances that work to bring about peace and address citizen issues from a scientific and objective point of view. As for the head of the Theater and Cavalry Authority, affiliated with the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, Muhammad al-Bayoudi, he says that the role of the authority is to encourage any initiative that brings theater back to life with works that address societal issues, indicating that in light of the budget, which will be spent during this year – which he did not specify – the coming period will witness a “revolution” in Libyan theatre.
Long history
The history of the Libyan theater goes back to the year 1908, and it presented its first show at that time under the title “Love of the Homeland,” before it disappeared for a few years, until it reappeared in the 1920s, at the hands of the late Muhammad Abd al-Hadi in Tobruk, in the east of the country. The theatrical movement continued to develop, and “Abu al-Funun” in particular was interested in presenting works derived from Libyan and Arab-Islamic history, before it stagnated again with the events of 2011, and attempts have continued since then to revive it again.
