JEDDAH: All the world’s a stage, wrote Shakespeare — and that is certainly true of Saudi Arabia, where theater life is enjoying a renaissance thanks to the country’s social reforms.
Theater in the Kingdom is embarking on a leap forward, Bakheet Al-Amri, chairman of the theater committee for the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts (SASCA) told Arab News.
“Thanks to Vision 2030’s reforms, a strong theatrical movement is on the way,” he said.
Theater activities in the Kingdom can be traced back to 1928, when one of the earliest plays, “Dialogue Between the Ignorant and Educated,” was staged for King Abdul Aziz in Qassim.
In the early 1960s, Arabic theater became popular in the Kingdom after Sheikh Ahmed Alsibaai created a stage group in Makkah and established the Quraish House of Islamic Storytelling.
More recently, the General Entertainment Authority has sponsored productions such as “Khawatir Shabaha: Memoirs of a Ghost,” which was staged at Dar Al-Hekma University.
Al-Amri said that plays have always been popular in the Kingdom.
SASCA, based in Riyadh, has 16 branches, with groups in Jeddah, Madinah and Al-Baha.
“These groups create various theatrical activities, be it social, experimental, melodramatic or duodramatic — there are so many types,” he said.
“All these schools of theater offer an experience. There are no clubs, just theatrical groups performing in different places.”
Theater life has always been active in the Kingdom, Al-Amri said, with children’s plays, women’s plays and light shows.
“The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Art will have a stage that matches Saudi Vision 2030 standards, and there will be plays in Jeddah on a monthly basis,” said Al-Amri
SASCA has been active for about 40 years, fostering different artistic fields, such as literature and visual arts.
Saudi actor Naif Al-Daferi, 29, said that theater is making a strong comeback in the Kingdom.
“When you want food, you go to a restaurant; when you want to check on your health, you go to the hospital; and when you want entertainment, you go to the theater,” he said. “It is something that unites all members of the family.”
The young Saudi actor developed his passion for theater while studying with leading Egyptian performer Ashraf Abdel Baqi.
“Theater is life. As Shakespeare said: ‘All the world’s a stage.’ Life is big, and the stage gathers it all in one place,” Al-Daferi said.
“The stage is a place to express your feelings. It means everything to me. Even in my free time, I visit the theater.
“And once I’m on stage, I feel like the whole world is mine.”
Reforms raise the curtain on Saudi Arabia’s theater revival
Reforms raise the curtain on Saudi Arabia’s theater revival
- In the early 1960s, Arabic theater became popular in Saudi Arabia
- Theater activities in the Kingdom can be traced back to 1928
Saudi chef wins culinary competition
- Event aimed to empower chefs’ ability to showcase talent on global scale
- Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani: It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces
RIYADH: A Saudi has won the Saudi Elite Chefs competition at Horeca Riyadh.
The event, which was organized by the Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture, in alignment with the ministry’s long-term goals, aimed to empower Saudi chefs’ ability to showcase their talent and creativity on a global scale.
Speaking to Arab News, the winner, Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani, shed light on how the competition equipped her with confidence for the future, saying: “It was a big challenge, and I faced off against strong chefs. It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces.”
On her future plans, Al-Sudani wants to give back to the industry, and added: “I look forward to opening the Bayan Academy soon so that I can support chefs and help them with the pastry sector specifically.”
Celebration and achievement were echoed throughout, and it was evident at the event that the culinary industry in the Kingdom is hungry for growth, recognition, and global competition.
Seba Zarea, general manager of strategy and program delivery at the Culinary Arts Commission, told Arab News of the many facets of the industry that the ministry was prioritizing.
Zarea said: “This competition is just one of the initiatives that the Culinary Arts Commission is working on. There are also local scholarships (and) vocational training. We are also working on attracting the best culinary schools to Saudi. For example, Le Cordon Bleu is opening next year in Misk City.”
Zarea stressed the rewards of events like the Saudi Elite Chefs competition, adding that the winner had a fast track to Bocuse d’Or and the World Pastry Cup — representing global opportunities to place both competitors and Saudi cuisine on the map.
Zarea added: “Food is a soft power and, in terms of tourism, food is a universal language so we codified the Saudi cuisine, an initiative started four years ago, and we came up with more than 1,300 codified recipes, items, and local produce from the Kingdom.”
Zarea went into depth on some of the behind-the-scenes efforts that have helped create the food that the Kingdom is able to showcase.
She shared the example of the Wild Plant Initiative, a program designed to explore plants of various regions in the Kingdom to discover new ingredients that can be integrated into Saudi cuisine.
These efforts go into helping to build an industry that is rooted in culture, creativity, and passion.
In the same way that the Saudi Elite Chefs competition provides its winners and participants with the tools to bring their success to global attention, the Culinary Arts Commission works to elevate the Kingdom’s cuisine through tourism and hospitality.
Zarea said: “This sector is the easiest way to showcase the culture.”
