Behind the veil(2)

"The Amok Theatre conducted thorough research on the topic of war and the relationship between the scenic language and reality, which resulted in the creation of three shows," Teixeira told the Global Times. "With the 'War Trilogy' Amok Theatre hopes to bring audiences a dialogue that contains fundamental questions about our time."

Having won several heavyweight prizes in Brazil, Kabul stands out with its unique and realistic acting style that tries to build a dialogue over time and allows the audience to see the cruelty and pain to which violence leads, as well as universal human emotions. It tells the story of two women, but is also a reflection of the Afghanistan of that time.

According to Teixeira, the idea for Kabul came from a photograph taken in November, 1999 which showed a woman covered by a blue veil who was about to be publicly executed in a stadium in Kabul.

"We decided to dive upon that image, and even go beyond. Who was that woman under the chador? What did her face look like? What was her story?" asked Teixeira. She added that the story the Amok Theatre tells in Kabul could very well be that woman's story.

They also turned to several other sources, including the novel The Swallows of Kabul by Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra, and the stories of many women in Afghanistan.

"Thus, Kabul is a fictional story based on real events," she concluded. "It is an ode to women and their ability to find solidarity and hope in the most arid situations of existence."

A focus on performance

During the play, the layout of the stage was very simple. A square in the middle of the stage symbolized a house, with two pieces of cloth acting as a wall separating it in two. However, with the rich body language of the actors, this simple stage became a place that could stimulate the unlimited imagination of the audience allowing us to tell where the wall, bed, window or stairs were.

The powerful performance of four actors in traditional Afghanistan clothes greatly added to the touching story taking place under blurred yellow beams of light.

An ailing woman, a man in anguish, a fearful woman and a despairing man were all vividly depicted both in body and mind. The audience could feel their love and pain despite two of the characters having their faces covered by veils.

Another highlight of the play was the music. A musician sat in a corner close to the audience and alternately played five traditional Middle Eastern musical instruments based on the needs of the plot.

Sad music immediately created a sorrowful mood as the ailing woman appeared on the stage, and when the scene switched to the younger more vigorous couple the music became a bit brighter. Similar to the role of music in traditional Chinese opera, it served as an excellent guide throughout the show.

"The play has a strong script and focuses on the powerful representation of actors, against a simple stage layout," noted Crystal D. "While most Chinese theater works increasingly rely on fancy stage decoration, this play may give us something to learn.

Talking about Brazil, we all know about soccer and samba, but Kabul will show you the country also boasts excellent theater productions and troupes."

Kabul will be heading to Nanjing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenzhen throughout the rest of this month.