Sunday, December 26, 2010

Tariq Jarrar: The Freedom Theatre of Jenin


This interview was conducted outside the entrance to the Freedom Theatre of Jenin in early August 2010 with Tariq Jarrar, a native resident of Jenin and active member of the Freedom Theatre. Jarrar first became involved in theater when he was recruited to act in a play produced by a joint Palestinian/French initiative that toured in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. He was subsequently active in theater activities while studying as an undergraduate in Jenin. After his return from further studies in Dubai, the once fledgling Freedom Theatre had become a hub of activity since its re-founding by Juliano Mer Khamis, Jonatan Stanczak and Zakaria Zubeidi in 2006 (All formerly interviewed on CrossTalk). While Jarrar describes the virtue of the theatrical arts in terms of Palestinian culture and political progress since the end of the Second Intifada, a mileu of Arabic, German, and English in the background of the recording stands testament to the success and international popularity of the Theatre. On that August day, the Theatre was preparing for a concert by the Palestinian hip hop group DAM (formerly interviewed on CrossTalk), demonstrating the cultural assets that the Theatre brings to a town once mired in the depths of armed conflict.


image: CrossTalk

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