Bringing Stories to the Streets: the Power of Theatre in the Middle East

Emergent street theatre and performance groups in Lebanon, Gaza, and Tunisia show how the art form can become a tool for empowerment for marginalized communities at the local level.

by Emma Djilali

Street theatre is unlike other, more formal types of theatre. There are no ticket holders, no dress codes, and fewer rules of engagement: the spectators do not know “the rules”, and did not necessarily intend to come to the performance. The actors, too, are not protected by a clear set of “rules” or demarcations that would typically separ…