A Narrative in the Making: Syrian Lives Through Traditional and Applied Theatre
Main Article Content
Abstract
This narrative essay traces the personal and professional journey of a Syrian theater artist navigating the intersections of traditional and applied theater across Syria, Jordan, Europe, and the United States. Rooted in early fascinations with Syrian television dramas, the author reflects on pivotal turning points that redirected his career toward socially engaged theater practices. Emphasizing applied theater's role in refugee and migrant contexts, the essay chronicles projects with Syrian communities in Jordan, Germany, and Portugal. These experiences underscore the shifting goals of applied theater—from public performance to therapeutic process—and interrogate the politics of representation, especially in Western artistic contexts. Ultimately, the essay is a meditation on diasporic identity, the ethics of storytelling, and the potential of theater as a tool for resistance, healing, and cultural continuity amid displacement.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).