Touring: Two Heads and a Hand

Two Heads and  a Hand
Based on texts by Shakespeare

CLAC (centre de Lecture et d'Animation Culturel), Kfardebyan - 11 June at 8:00 pm
Tour in Lebanon

After being performed in front of 500 high school and university students, and following 3 public performances in Zoukak Studio, Beirut, “Two Heads and a Hand” by Zoukak Theatre Company will be performed 10 times in different locations across Lebanon.
Stemming from the company’s strong belief in the necessity of decentralizing theatre and culture, and as an outreach to communities living outside of Beirut, Zoukak kicks off its tour in Halba on June 7th, and will cover various regions in Lebanon. The tour will go on until July 7th, taking place in theatres, public libraries, municipalities and outdoor locations, and all performances will be free of charge and open to the public.
 

Synopsis
Shakespeare’s savage political commentaries on the government made of him a major political thinker. Since his early works, he asked his audience to consider questions that criticize leadership: What does it mean to be a king? What constitutes a good ruler? When should a ruler be obeyed, or disobeyed? Can rebellion be justified? How is political power acquired and maintained? From here, Shakespeare’s plays constitute a reflection on the concept of leadership and power, like any political or historical argumentation. In reading his plays, especially the histories, it is clear that political issues are at their core.

In most parts of the Arab world individual power has been the norm of leadership, dictators and specific political figures have been ruling over people’s lives for decades. Even in Lebanon, where we’ve not had one dictator rule the country, we have a culture that is obsessed with certain leaders and male figures that have been in government for years. After the revolutions and the regimes that resulted from them and the wars that followed and continue, and within the governmental inadequacy in Lebanon, power is shifting towards multiple and unexpected coalitions, however figures of patriarchy are still moving and shaking the region, which seems to be holding on to images of ruthless authority. We are interested in asking Shakespeare’s questions today, in order to analyse and question the dominant archetypes of patriarchy in our context.

Performance language: Arabic

Devised and directed by: Junaid Sarieddeen, Maya Zbib, Omar Abi Azar and Lamia Abi Azar
Performed by: Maya Zbib,  Junaid Sarieddine and Lamia Abi Azar
Assistant director: Sari Shrayteh
Scenography: Jean Francois Garraud
Graphic design and digital art: Maya Chami
Produced by: Zoukak Theater Company
Supported by: Drosos

This performance was first presented in 2016, with the support of the British Council and Al Madina Theater and in collaboration with Nadim Deaibes on light and scenography.