The Jeddah Society of Arts and Culture has been staging its play “Postman” away from the traditional settings of stage and theater by taking to the streets. Performances of the street theater piece, which according to actor Abdullah Al-Hamad relies heavily on improvisation, have taken place during Ramadan at various locations such as shopping malls. “The idea came to me after I realized how little playwrights and actors were promoting their work and engaging the public with theater as a cultural act,” Al-Hamad said. “I wanted to involve everyone in it and try to dispel the idea that theater is an elitist interest, because theater came from the street and is a cultural and entertainment cornerstone as important as cinema and television,” he said. “We expect to be performing the work on more occasions.” The Society of Arts and Culture has put on a series of events in Ramadan involving not just theater but also art and photography exhibitions.
