no kuwaiti citizen has managed to elevate kuwait onto the global cultural stage quite like the accomplished artist and director sulaiman yahya al-bassam.
however, a perplexity arises within me, primarily associated with the state of culture in my country. each time i witness his productions, a sense of pride washes over me, accompanied by a profound melancholy and disquietude.
this stems from the almost deliberate oversight by the state machinery to accord him the respect and recognition he rightfully deserves. it is not merely for the brilliance of his theatrical endeavors or his meticulous craftsmanship but also his selfless dedication, investing his time and resources to produce and direct outstanding international works.
his efforts are not solely driven by personal gratification or the pursuit of perfection in artistic creation but also by the altruistic motive of elevating the name of his country on the global stage.
his latest play, “silence,” which i had the privilege of witnessing about three weeks ago in a special screening at dar al-athar al-islamiyyah, was staggering in its magnificence and subject matter, stringent in all its dimensions.
this marked the fourth work i have observed by the artist and director suleiman, and one cannot help but notice the extent of his commitment. it goes beyond presenting a comprehensive artistic piece, venturing into the realm of innovation, holding the audience’s breath for over an hour, with all eyes captivated by the splendor of the performance, despite the stage being occupied by only one actress, a proficient international talent, and two musicians.
the genesis of this international work saw its first workshop held in switzerland in october 2022. subsequently, the crew moved to tunis, where the play was presented in collaboration with the tunisian national theater in march 2023, on the sidelines of the tunis international theater festival. an open rehearsal was staged on july 22, 2023, at the fondazione giangiacomo feltrinelli theater in milan, italy, as part of the annual summer theater and dance festival.
director al-bassam’s connection with the carthage film days in 2021, where his distinctive play “imedia” received three well-deserved awards, paved the way for “silence” to be showcased again in tunisia at its international festival. once more, it earned three international awards.
the play “silence” transcends the ordinary, delving into the profound and harrowing repercussions of the human, security, and political tragedy that struck the core of beirut and the souls of its inhabitants on august 4, 2020. this event marked the largest non-nuclear explosion in history, devastating everything and laying bare the wounds of lebanon. the tragedy unveiled the extent of political corruption and the economic and social crises that befell this once beautiful arab homeland, rendering it leaderless, without banks, currency, independence, vision, or a foreseeable future.
“silence” emerges as a testament to the director’s commitment to political theater in the face of this extensive destruction and despair, which has left nothing untouched within the psyche of the lebanese citizens. we hope that this work reaches and is presented in theaters across arab countries, or what remains of them. simultaneously, it is our fervent wish that international director sulaiman al-bassam receives due recognition from the state, placing his name at the forefront of those deserving the state’s accolades.