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Theater . The Sayd al-ahlam (The Fishing for Dreams) show marks a return to Chinese shadows, puppets and video projections, as in a folk tale of old.
The resuscitated heritage
In the small hall of the Al-Ghad theater, a Bedouin woman, who mends a fishing net, says: "Once upon a time ... Ali, a poor fisherman, and Nour, his beloved haunted by a dream". The tale then begins. In the dark, on small white screens, the shadows of the characters appear in colorful miniatures. The Chinese shadow show Sayd al-ahlam (Fishing for Dreams), written by Racha Abdel-Moneim and directed by Mohamad Faouzi, has only just begun. This is not a show for children, but an Al-Ghad Theater production for adults, drawing on Egyptian cultural heritage. Is this nostalgia for the good old childish days? Childish memories? “Chinese shadows and storytelling are an important part of our tradition, yet they are on the way out. The current show is just a first step towards the rebirth of these arts, ”underlines Nasser Abdel-Moneim, director of the Al-Ghad theater.
For a long time, Chinese shadow shows did not appear on the stage of the state theater. Even in children's theater, we limited ourselves to puppets, puppets and disguise techniques. However, some independent companies have tried to revert to this form. “Reclaiming popular heritage is a necessity. Today, the return to popular and folkloric forms is accentuated. Rather, we aim to preserve our cultural identity. When working with shadow puppets or other forms of folk art, you have to deal with them according to a theme and subjects linked to popular heritage, "said Nabil Bahgat, theater teacher and specialist in puppets and shadow puppets.
Sayd al-ahlam traces the story of the poor fisherman, Ali, who fights against life and finds his refuge in dreams. Every evening, he dreams of the beautiful naked young girl Nour. During his sleep, he has the right to love and to live. He seeks to bring his beloved out of the dream to be part of the real world. He also calls on other characters in his dreams, such as the caliph, the magician Qaroun and others.
In terms of directing, Mohamad Faouzi uses Chinese shadows with comic insinuations to social life: a large cog running behind one of the characters, a man in front of a large building, a screaming child, etc. Images that precede the main plot and reflect the relationship to society.
Chinese shadows show the fisherman and Nour, his chimerical sweetheart. The black curtains open, and the white screen becomes denser to free up space for lovers. Dream and love are a big space. “Usually, Chinese shadows are limited to one frame in a show that is no longer than 15 minutes. Through Racha Abdel-Moneim's text and its different scenes, I was able to vary the frames and shadow techniques ", underlines the director.
Visually, Faouzi creates two levels: that of screens of different sizes where the story is interpreted by silhouettes of Chinese shadows. The other, below, serves as supports covered with black curtains for the entry and exit of the actors: the narrator, Ali, etc. Sometimes other media serve as frames for video projections.