The rave empire
OVERVIEW
“The Rave Empire” playfully presents a reading of an ‘unfinished play’, based on the second part of Henrik Ibsen’s “Emperor and Galilean” which talks about the life of the Roman Emperor Julian (361 to 363). Referred to as “The Apostate”, Julian led the last attempt in history to re-establish polytheism as a political philosophy and as a practice of life. Ever since, monotheism has taken over, and our contemporary mental structure was formed, molded and framed by its linearity. This performance tackles the binary relationship between monotheism and polytheism. In the search for a third option, the performance dissects the mono-narrative of the main play where each actor comments and interprets it from their personal perspective. In parallel to the intellectual narrative of the performance, other media like video, music, light and dance move in parallel worlds within the same universe, framing a sense of coexistence between diverse lives.
INFO | CREDITS
Production Year: 2022
Production Language: Arabic
Production Duration: 70 mins
Conceived and produced by: Zoukak Theatre Company
Directed by: Junaid Sarieddeen
Devised by: the whole team
Writing and performing team:Lamia Abi Azar, Maya Zbib, Omar Abi Azar, Mohamad Hamdan, Junaid Sarieddeen
Visual creative team:
Scenographer: Nathalie Harb
Video Maker: Rania Rafei
Text layout Designer: Maya Chami
Light Designer: Omar Abi Azar
Technical Director: Jean Kisswany
Technical Coordinator: Antonella Rizk
Stage Manager: AlMahdi Shbat
Music composition and performance: Joseph Junior Sfeir
Sound Designer: Rodrigue Kazarian
Production Manager: Mohamad Hamdan
Assistant Director and Stage Manager: Jana Bou Matar
Poster Designer: Maya Chami
Costume Designer: Hazem Kais
Translator: Marianne Noujaim
Cinematographer: Jocelyne Abi Gebrayel
Editing Contributor: Marwan Hamdan
Co-produced by: Ibsen Scope, La Comédie – CDN de Reims, and Drosos Foundation
With the support of Hammana Artist House
Special Thanks to Khalil Hassan, Assaad Thebian, and Nadim Deabis
PAST PERFORMANCES
27 January, 2022
Open Studio at La Comedie de Reims
Reims, France
12 May, 2022
Premiere Performance
Skien, Norway
20 - 23 October, 2022
Private Audience Performance at Zoukak Theatre
Beirut, Lebanon
26 November, 2022
Performance within Zoukak Sidewalks Festival at Zoukak theatre
Beirut, Lebanon
