Drama in the Real World
Samīrah Māní, a dramatist from Iraq, reads from her play “Only A Half,” which deals with the segregation of men and women in the Arab world and then she discusses the relationship between men and women in Iraq. Jean Arasanayagam talks about the real drama of life that exists in Sri Lanka through folk drama and English drama, which came with colonialism. He talks about how the British introduced Shakespeare to the people of Sri Lanka. He uses plays to deal with current social problems. He talks about street drama, which is made up as the play goes on. In his plays he doesn’t give names to his characters because he believes that giving a character a name makes you begin to create the character in your head before the character even comes on stage. An audience member asks a question and many people begin talking, making it hard to hear what is being said for a brief period of time. F. D. Imbuga, a dramatist from Kenya, then talks about what influenced him to become a dramatist. Imbuga has also written a novel while staying in Iowa City. Imbuga talks about the relationship he sees between reality and drama. Imbuga talks about his play “Betrayal in the City,” which openly criticizes the Kenyan government.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Dramatic Writing
Authors: Samīrah Māní , F.D. Imbuga, Jean Arasanayagam
Date Recorded: October 04, 1990
Works Read: Māní reads from her play "Only a Half."
Program: --
Format: discussion
Contributors: Peter Nazareth
Topics: Arab world; segregation; drama; theater; Middle East; war; colonialism; realism
Note: Samīrah Māní's name also appears as Al-Mani, Samira and Al-Mana, Samira. F. D. Imbuga's name also appears as Imbuga, Francis.