Student Drama Review
Although the dialogue was a little stilted or awkward at times, in the circumstances this was an entirely understandable and commendably minor flaw, given the language in which the students were working and their lack of stage experience and training. All the actors seemed confident, composed, and word-perfect in their respective performances. The anger and frustration of Omar worked well against the placid equanimity of his father (Ahmad Adi). I also enjoyed the slick, sharp-suited cynicism of the university president (Nasir Salamat), the smiling betrayer, Khaled (Abdullah AlShammiri), and the two wonderfully wicked parodies of eccentric and egocentric lecturers (Ziad ElSawah and Bara AlMakadma). These latter two performances gave the play a vital, enlivening element of comedy to offset the seriousness elsewhere, in particular the brooding presence of the cloaked figure at centre-stage (Mohammad Mathbout). Adding a further, poignant dimension was the yearning lyricism of Aman Inayah’s poetry, as recited in turn by the main characters. Therefore, given all of this hard work and creativity, I couldn’t help wishing more had been there to appreciate it (although I was pleased to see His Royal Highness, Prince Bandar among
the audience). Allowing for the imperative and inescapable commitments which inevitably reduced the size of audience, I still found the attendance for this important as well as entertaining event a little disappointing. So, if I may be permitted to end this review on a slightly ‘preachy’ note, here’s why we should all give our full support to the future efforts of the Drama Club. The production of ‘The Cloak’ represents a hugely welcome initiative by hard-working medical and engineering students, who, through their involvement in this project, implicitly recognise the vital role of the arts - in terms of creative self-expression, intellectual development, and simple, life-enhancing pleasure in the life of a University and the society it serves. This play was not only produced and acted by Alfaisal students, which would be impressive enough, but actually conceived and written by an Alfaisal student. We at Alfaisal should attend to the play’s message about the fulfillment of youth’s potential and ensure that we wholeheartedly support our students’ non-vocational, artistic endeavours, as much as their vocational, academic ones.
Magazine
July 2011
33