Lucena. Obedience training

This is a theatrical work that questions the authoritarian model that governs religion, society and theatre. The work summons Ibsen’s «Emperor and Galilean» from history, the text which called upon the Roman Emperor Julian, who in turn summoned the gods and philosophers of ancient Greece, declaring the freedom of belief and the plurality of deities. It is a journey of old power conflicts in the skies and on earth. It is a tale of a society whose members are on the steps of the ruling ladder linking heaven to earth. It’s the story of a theatre company exiled and isolated as its members are trained on obedience, for they might subordinate.

*Lucena is a village in Cordoba, which was mostly populated by Jews, the Arab philosopher Averroes was exiled there after he was tried by the caliph al-Mansur who ordered that his books be burnt. The origin of the word in Hebrew is «Eli Hochana» which means «May God protect us».

Directed by: Junaid Sarieddeen
Dramaturgy: Junaid Sarieddeen and Omar Abi Azar
Assistant Director: Joseph Kaï
Scenography: Nathalie Harb
Scenography Assistant: Ghassan Halawani
Light design: Kobayashi
Costume design: Raya Morcos
Percussion: Khaled Yassine
Drawing for poster: Ghassan Halawani
Producer: Ahmad Ghossein

Performed by:
Lamia Abi Azar
Hashem Adnan
Ali Chahrour
Danya Hammoud
Maya Zbib
and the crew

Special thanks:
Chrystelle Khodr, Khouloud Yassine, Omar Rajeh, Mia Habis, Hiram Naman, Peter Sellers, Neyla Bustros, Minus 5, Rabih Keyrouz, Georges Micaelian, Reem Cheaib, Kinda Hassan, Jad Hakawati, Zeina Kiwan, Jihad Touma, Dyala Khodary, Sunflower Theatre, Abdo Nawwar, Helen Warde.