Ashtar Theatre

For Adults only

للكبار فقط

Rana Burqan ( in the center)
from left to right ( Sarah Habash, Miral Dalu, and Hiba Abu-Lebdeh)
photo credit, Arine Rinawi.

"For Adults only" is a stand up comedy show, directed by Bayan Shbib and performed by Ashtar Theater students.

The show's idea has started when the theater students were bored and there was nothing new or interesting for them to do during the summer vacation. Bayan Shbib who is an actress/ director worked with these students for several times, she knows them, she knows their abilities and the titanic amount of humor and sarcasm they have inside of them. Therefore, she started a creative writing workshop, where every and each student started writing his/her own monologue. The workshop's outcome was fascinating, the students came out with amazing pieces that all were transformed into acted sketches and scenes. Some of these sketches and monologues speak about society, love, relationships, oppression, sex, knowledge, family, society's weird habits,and many other themes.

The show was first performed for four times, many people came to the theater to watch it and much more came again to watch it for a second and third time.

from left to right
(Siwar Abu Sham'a, Saji Dimairi, Yazan Makhul )
photo credit, Arine Rinawi.

A year after, Ashtar Theater organized a very successful International Festival " A Step into Tomorrow." In the festival's third day, Ashtar students who performed " For Adults only" a year ago, prepared themselves to perform the show for the second time, but this time changes had to be done.

(Emile Saba)
photo credit, Arine Rinawi

(Hiba and Saji)
photo credit, Arine Rinawi.

Many of the students who were involved in the first show, have left for several reason, some of them left teh country for the summer, others had exams, and a few didn't want to act again. Time was limited, but the students managed keep the show going, they rehearsed, changed some scenes, added new ideas, new sketches and this time their monologues changed to become more like stand up comedy shows.

The theater was full, packed with people, cameras, and laughs. The students, for the second time, they nailed it. Everyone was laughing, even the ones who don't understand Arabic. Energy was in the air, you can sense it in the actor's eyes and words. Shakespeare was their through his Romeo and Juliet modern love story, Ramallah's streets with its cars, smoke, and people were all alive on that small dark walled stage.

From left to right
(Sarah and Hiba)
photo credit, Arine Rinawi

(Yazan Makhul)
photo credit, Arine Rinawi.

Even that the show ended, Iman Aoun, the Artistic director of Ashtar theater, saw that there is a great potentiality in upgrading the show and turning it fully into a stand up show that is able to stand alone with no props, decor or costumes. The group gathered again and they started a new writing workshop to produce a pure stand up comedy show.

Pictures from the show: