Alif Theatre Workshop
2019 could be considered an exemplary year for diversity in the Auckland theatre scene. Productions such as Auckland Theatre Company’s A Fine Balance in partnership with Prayas Theatre, Silo Theatre’s My Heart Goes Thadak Thadak by Ahi Kurunaharan, Mrs Krishnan’s Party by Indian Ink, and ‘Pinay,’ NZ’s premiere Filipino/English play by PAT brought us stories with unique ethnic and cultural viewpoints.
Zak Enayat
The Christchurch Terror Attack of 2019 brought an overwhelming national awareness of the Middle Eastern community and its presence in Aotearoa and across the world. Zak Enayat was fast to gain the support of PAT’s Artistic Director Chye Ling Huang in bringing together an electric day of workshopping on a hard hitting script, Scorched, by Wajdi Mouawad, to see who was out there.
Zak Enayat directs at Q Vault
Twins Jeanne and Simon embark on a head-spinning journey to the Middle East after the death of their mother, who has left them clues of their roots from beyond the grave. '“A play about love, family and persevering to find human kindness against the brutality of the world was the perfect vessel to share the pain and love of an intensely difficult year for the Middle Eastern community,” remarked Enayat.
Hosted by Q theatre, the full day brought in 19 actors from Middle Eastern and South Asian backgrounds, soft launching the new banner ‘Alif Theatre’ - a brand new Auckland based theatre company committed to fostering, empowering and creating opportunities for theatre practitioners who identify as Middle Eastern.
Now, Alif Theatre is a crucial partner for the producer’s in training initiative launched with Black Creatives Aotearoa and PAT to support the lack of producers that halted Alif’s initial growth. Bringing in Ahmed Yousef from the original workshops, the initiative is set to take place late 2023 and support producers across Auckland, Wellington and Chrustchurch.
Ahmed Youssef, who took part in the initial workshop, is on board as a community coordinator for this initiative.
We can’t wait to see the Middle Eastern talent that comes from this initiative, and see Alif sow more seeds for the longevity of the industry.
Ahmed Youssef