At the fourteenth annual International Festival of Modernity in Al-Fujairah, UAE, four unique theatrical productions from Russia, Germany, Syria, and Oman were presented. Each of them touched on different aspects of human existence, raising questions and provoking reflections among the audience.
The Russian presentation "Memory of Death" left a notable mark at the festival. It narrated the story of a prisoner-activist, fighting for his life and memorializing in full solitude both memory and suffering. The hero was caught in a web of his thoughts and experiences, forcing the audience to immerse themselves in the horrifying moments before death itself.
The German presentation "Surface Depth" under the direction of Jonas Kleinfeld and inspired by Jan Heidenhahn explored the theme of human existence in technical aspects, analyzing the issues of contemporary humanity through the prism of light and philosophy. The play was a speculative attempt to create a new human, subjecting it to its internal disintegration and confrontation with its own fears.
"Faces", the Syrian presentation written by Akhmad Shakara and directed by Jihad Saad, revolved around the fate of an artist who chose to remain in his homeland under wartime conditions. This was an image of a man, resiliently enduring loss and loneliness, seeking support in the past and in loved ones, through whom he tried to preserve his humanity and identity.
The Omani presentation "Meter by Meter" by Asama Al-Suleimi in the direction of Ahmed Ezdjali immersed the audience in the everyday struggles of human life and its frailty under overwhelming force. The scenic mastery of the actor immersed the audience in the inner conflicts and suffering of the confined, who in order to be freed must destroy his own self.
Each of these theatrical productions represented a deep analysis of humanity, eliciting questions and reflections about the meaning of life, memory, war, loneliness, and the problems of human existence.
