Baghdad witnesses these days ongoing activities to adapt the two novels of the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein into two plays one of which is expected to be the biggest play in the history of the Iraqi theater.
While director Jawad al Hasab wrapped up his preparations to stage the play Zabibah Wa al Malek (Zabibah and the King) based on the president’s first novel, director Jawad al Hasab announced that he dedicated his time to direct the play al Qala’h al Hazinah (Fortified Fortress) based on the president’s second novel.
Director Mohammed Tua’meh al Tamimi has wrapped up shooting the play Zabibah wa al Malek for the Iraqi TV in order to portray it at the end of this month within official celebrations that will be held on the anniversary of Saddam’s birthday.
Jawad al Hasab thinks the play al Qala’h al Hazinah involves a trend towards consolidating the basic principles, the fact that prompted him to adapt it into a play. “This novel has attracted me very much as it talks about love in a different way and under special circumstances in order to adjust the society’s tracks. This can be achieved through opening the novel by the writer with a strong and influential statement such as “Love is God’s Symphony on Earth.” I adapted this novel into a play so that all people will see this epic in order to consolidate values and principles among them particularly those affected by western media. The novel attempts to reconsolidate these original principles in our Arab society,” al Hasab told the Iraqi daily al Thawrah.
Costarring in al Qala’h al Hassinah are Abdel Khaleq al Mukhtar, Aziz Khayyoun, Awatef Nae’em, Haitham Abdel Razzaq and other Iraqi veteran and young artists -- Albawaba.com
