Tunisia, Egypt Share Top Honors at Carthage Theater Days

The Carthage Theater Days Festival, which wrapped up in Tunisia last Saturday, has decided to split its first prize between the Tunisian play Saa’t Hobb (One Hour of Love), by Salim Al Sanhaji, and the Egyptian play Makhadat Al Kohol (Eye Liner Pillow), by the Pioneers’ Troupe, according to news agencies. 

The Tunisian play is about love and betrayal, and takes place on the shores of a lake where feelings of loneliness are combined with a desire for revelation, determination, liberalization and overcoming reluctance.  

The Egyptian play tells the story of the status quo for Asian women, and depicts contradictions, aspirations, and despair, all of which have accumulated over the years. 

The jury, headed by Mary Elias from Palestine, awarded its special prize to the Iraqi play Cidra, which is based on the Sumerian legend Al Toufan (Flood). 

The Iraqi play tells of an overwhelming flood, which prevails worldwide, annihilating people for their corruption and evilness. Cidra and his wife are the only survivors of the flood, because they are good. Cidra builds a ship and flees to a faraway island to live alone with his wife forever. 

The Algerian actress Sonia won the prize for best actress for her role in the play Al Muharrijoun (Demagogues). The Syrian actor Ghassan Masudi won the prize for best actor for his role in the play Sada (Echo). 

The jury handed the best play technology prize to the plays Turab Wa Urjuwan (Earth and Purple) from Palestine, and Ya Lail Ma Atwalak (What a Long Night), from the United Arab Emirates. 

The jury also handed out an appreciation prize to the play Hunak Al Kathir Min Al Zunooj Fi Al A’lam (There are Many Negroes in the World) from the Congo Republic by the Moroccan artist Al Wae’d Mohammed Zuhair, director of the play Anta Ayyu Hal Rajol (You, Man). 

An appreciation prize was also awarded to the cast of the play Sada (Echo) by the Syrian National Theater, and to the UAE actor Abdulla Rashed for his role in the play Ya Lail Ma Atwalak (What a Long Night) and in appreciation for his innovation felt by many young actors and actresses. 

In an honor of the Palestinian theater, a special appreciation prize was given by the jury to the cast of the Palestinian Maidan Theater, which opened the festival with a play outside the official contest entitled Uthkur (Remember) – Albawaba.com