The so called Arab spring turned already a long time ago into a new Arab nightmare with destruction, death and expulsions in most of the countries concerned. All three theatre makers, taking part in this discussion have various experiences of living and working in exile: Iraqi director Mokhallad Rasem came already in 2006 to Europe and is working today as associate artist fort he reknowned toneel huis Antwerp / Belgium. Muhaned Alhadi fled Iraq and fled to Syria where he worked for some time before he had to continue his migration, living today in Lyon / France. Rafat Alzakut had to leave Syria during the war due to his famous political-satirical puppet movies published on youtube, continued his work in Beirut and came only end of 2015 to live in Berlin, working today as associate artist for Theater an der Ruhr in Germany. Rolf C. Hemke follows the work of those artist already for some time and discusses with them the working conditions of Arab artists in Europe, themes, fears, perspectives.

Rolf C. Hemke curator, dramaturge, leader of the Kunstfest Weimar from 2019. He led the international program of the Theater and der Ruhr from 2006 until the summer of 2018. An expert of Middle Eastern and African theatre (in this capacity he served as counsellor for the Vienna Festive Plays from 2014 to 2016). He wrote two book on Arabic and sub-Saharan theatre. As a translator and dramaturge he worked on several projects with the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg and Ruhrfestspiele.

(20 March 2018)