West Bank: actors "sell themselves" to denounce the difficulties of the world of theater
Audio 01:35
In the Palestinian Territories, the Covid-19 crisis has worsened an economic situation already on the brink of collapse.
Here, a Palestinian woman in the streets of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, July 2, 2020 (illustration) © REUTERS / Mohamad Torokman
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
As the world of culture struggles to see the end of the tunnel in the occupied West Bank, a troupe of young actors decided to perform a traveling play in Ramallah to raise awareness of the economic and financial situation, and the lack of work since coronavirus crisis.
A play repeated by the actors themselves, with volunteer actors and musicians from Jerusalem, Bethlehem or Ramallah.
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With our correspondent in Ramallah,
Alice Froussard
On a small stage outside Ramallah, two musicians and three actors are motionless, standing on wooden cubes.
Then comes an auctioneer and the tone is set: it is an auction that is played.
Each of the actors is presented to be purchased.
Because at the moment, they are no longer useful.
"
His name is
'thing'
, but his name is not important
!
He's a professional, but he hasn't been given the chance to be a professional yet.
He's very brave, but he hasn't had the chance to be brave yet
!
», Launches the auctioneer.
The spectators are buyers, everyone has their own price.
But the bids start at 10 cents and then only end at 15.
"
As if we were waiting for an event that might never happen
"
"
We, as artists, have become a bit
'cheap'
, if I may say so,"
explains Maryam Basha, a young Palestinian actress and lead actress, who wrote this play.
We sell ourselves so inexpensively in order to be able to create, to contribute to the artistic world.
And it is not only because
of the occupation
, but it comes from the
economic and financial situation of the country
.
Everything holds us back to make art.
In the end, it's like waiting for an event that might never happen.
And there is the pressure, the anguish that goes with it.
This is all that the play is about.
"
The troupe is made up of volunteers only and the idea is to replay this play in the street.
Either a way of raising public awareness of the situation of actors, the world of theater and culture in general after
the coronavirus crisis
.
►
Also in the ire: 2020, a record year for colonization in the West Bank
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Culture
Palestinian territories
Theater
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