Seven established authors from cities around the Arab world write a letter direct to the audience in Glasgow. Read more …
Novelists, poets and essayists such as Raja Shehadeh and Adhaf Souief have been commissioned to write these letters as a response to current events in their countries.
The essays will be read by some of Scotland’s own established writers.
Following a week where the ongoing sweep of change in the Arab has been reduced in the Western news to the pros and cons of the travelling billionaire circus that is Formula 1, it's enlightening to find something more substantial, and vital, on offer here, than who would take the chequered flag in Bahrain.
From the tight focus of Syrian novelist Samar Yazbek’s account of being caught up in a demonstration in a Damascus Square, to the understated poetry of the story of an old garden caper bush, told by Palestinian writer Adania Shibili, the letters offer a huge variety of approaches to writing about the current politics of the Arab world.
Perhaps in time we will be celebrating one day in a balmy Arab summer where such pictures really do have a place. For now, however, these Arabic authors’ words fit perfectly with the scenes we see every time we switch on the news.
Dear Glasgow theatre season focuses on Middle East and North Africa
Oran Mor, Glasgow from Monday April 23, 2012, until Saturday April 28, 2012. More info: www.oran-mor.co.uk
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from Tuesday May 1, 2012, until Saturday May 5, 2012. More info: www.traverse.co.uk