Rabih Mroue’s work will show in France, Italy, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, but not in his home country Lebanon. Another shameful episode for our philistines in charge.
A Threat?
The entire fuss is about his last play “Nancy”. According to the New York Times:
“Nancy” presents an episodic history of Lebanon’s 15-year civil war through the experiences of four fighters who served in different militias. For the duration of the performance, Mr. Mroué; his wife, Lina Saneh; and two other actors sit on a couch meant for three. Above each actor’s head, like speech balloons in a comic strip, are a microphone and a screen projecting posters of the “martyrs” and militias that are common to this day on the streets of Beirut.
The four characters tell stories of contradiction that ricochet off one another. They will adhere to an ideological position and then change it. They pledge loyalty to a political leader and then betray him. They make allies and then forsake them. They switch sides and get lost.
What’s funny is that Mr. Mroue’s critique is far more tasteful and less venomous than most of the programming on Lebanese TV or statements made by politicians. The sensors are not just being heavy-handed, they’re being unfair and hypocritical!
PS: If anyone gets his hand on the “distrubing part” of the play on YouTube, please email it to me and I’ll publish it.
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The beirut spring is a blog that is interested in Lebanese society and its politics. It started in February 2005 after the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
August 18th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
It’s like Lebanon is slowly sinking into the dark ages of Europe with all the oppression and cultural absence. It’s hard for Lebanese people to watch the news and the talk shows 24 hours and at the end of the day they all are depressed and hysterical without being able to laugh at their own situation.
I hope someone gets the play or parts of it online so that we know what’s the stupid fuss is all about.
August 18th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I am with March 14, and I believe in freedom of speech. This should not be banned
August 18th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Shame on Hassan El Sabee! Where is the freedom of speach? This is the incompetent minister who resigned after the Danish Embassy riot…
August 18th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Thanks for bringing this up Mustapha. Its important that he hold on to what we believe in!
August 18th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Only dictators and authoritarian regimes are afraid of free expression. Isn’t there something better for these government to do besides censoring ideas and thought.
Our incompetent government officials will learn in time what their counter parts in the ex Soviet Union and even in China have learned. Efforts directed towards stifling thought are a waste of time besides being a violation of Human Rights. Soon enough YouTube will carry the performance from Tunis, Rabat, Cairo, Paris and Rome.
August 18th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Does Philistine = Palestinian ?
This word means uncooth - savage - boorish - crude - uneducated
August 18th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Per NYT: “…projecting posters of the “martyrs” and militias that are common to this day on the streets of Beirut.”
That such posters are yet found
everywhere in Lebanon is part of the problem. One foot in the grave, the other foot stuck in sectarian propaganda. Actors seated throughout the play is an artful representation of the facts.
August 18th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Definition of philistine:
A philistine is a person who is disdainful of intellectual or artistic pursuits. A philistine can also be someone who is ignorant or uncultured.
August 18th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
[…] Charmed By Caramel | August 18th, 2007 Since we’re in the subject of Lebanese artistic production of international fame, let’s prepare ourselves for an upcoming success: Caramel, a movie by Nadine Labaki. […]
August 19th, 2007 at 12:40 am
oh, okay. So I’m guessing the Hezbollah killing machine video game that teaches kids how to kill other “enemy” kids isn’t banned…but a play with the power to teach a vast range of viewers the mistakes of our past in an appealing and interesting manner is dangerous and deserves censorship.
It’s sad. I hope we can find this play online.
August 20th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Wow… I did not hear about this… I will make sure to make news out of this!!
Lebanese Culture is OUR ONLY way out of the blasphemous political fraud!
August 25th, 2007 at 7:13 am
[…] Remember the Rabih Mroué play that was banned from playing in Lebanon? Many of us here immediately blamed the Interior Minister who belongs to March 14, a party that prides itself on the freedom of speech. The cognitive dissonance was just too bothering. […]
October 4th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
eddie says:it is lebanon.the same people who destroyed the country….the same people who brougth syrian in….the same people whe dictate their sects….the same people who stands for their own freedom and deprive others from it….those same people speak in the name of democracy now….that is lebanon!!!!!!!hey,by the name of democracy i urge u to be loyal to my son in the future!!!!!!!!