Open air theatre comes to Gaza

People in Gaza watched plays on the streets of their towns for the first time over the past month.

Theatre Day Productions, a non-profit Palestinian organisation, launched the initiative to allow greater access to the arts.

The first production to be showcased was “In the rectangle of doubt” which tackles the issue of racism faced by residents of the Om Al Nasser Bedouin village who have been subjected to discrimination because of their traditions.

“For two months we worked with the people of Om Al Nasser to learn more about them and their lives,” the play’s director and the Artistic Director of Threatre Day Productions, Rafat Al-Aydeh, said.

“At the beginning, it wasn’t easy to build the trust between us, but with time they cooperated and worked perfectly with us.”

Drama classes were held for children and women in the village and these were essential, he said. “We gave them full freedom to express themselves, and that helped us a lot to know more about their interesting lives and heritage.”

“This experience inspired me,” actor Mahmoud Abu Zubaida said. “It taught me to accept others. Moreover, it helped me to believe in the message of art and theatre as community development tools.”