Damascus, Sept. 22 (SANA) “Fella and the Seven Dwarfs,” an interactive children’s play combining theater with digital graphics, choreography and music, opened Children’s Theater Days at al-Hamra Theater in Damascus on Saturday.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Directorate of Theaters and Music, the opening drew a large audience of children and their families. The play, based on the story widely known as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” was written by Hisham Kafarna and directed by Bassam Hmeidi.
The production offers a contemporary visual adaptation of the well-known story, using scenography and graphics alongside dance, choreography and music to explore themes of good and evil in a format designed for young audiences.
Hmeidi told SANA that the production was built around a strong visual approach, bringing together lighting, sound, costumes, makeup, music, dance and acting to keep children engaged throughout the performance.
The play combines poetry, dialogue, acting, dance and music to deliver its educational message while giving children room to interact with the performance and follow its themes, he said.
Actor Fadi al-Hamwi said the production returned to the stage after an absence of about three years.
He said its use of color, music, movement and dance was intended to connect with children, who often retain the movements, sounds and ideas they encounter on stage.
At the center of the story is a struggle between good and evil, presented in a way that helps young audiences distinguish between the two, al-Hamwi said.
Actor and theater director Khoshnaf Zaza, who plays a bat accompanying the villain, said the story follows the villain’s attempt to get rid of Fella before the seven dwarfs intervene to save her.
Zaza said the production’s visual approach was designed to draw children to live theater at a time when technology and social media occupy an increasingly prominent place in their daily lives.
Preparations for the production took about five months and included choreography rehearsals, he said.
Children’s Theater Days features several other productions, including “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” “Asoula and the Penguins” and “The Snowman.” Performances are being staged at al-Hamra Theater and the Puppet Theater in Damascus.
R.D/ABD
