R) Othman Abdul Rahman Falatah and Hail Agill. (SG photos by Fouzia Khan) Saudi theater needs a training institute to help actors become more professional, said Othman Abdul Rahman Falatah, the manager of the Saudi Society of Arts and Culture (SSAC). He was speaking to Saudi Gazette at the recent performance of a play called “The Cave” written and directed by Amir Hasnawi, a prominent Saudi writer. “The future of Saudi theater is not bright unless we have a proper institute for theater. In Saudi Arabia, acting is not taught professionally, there is no institute or university of theater,” said Falatah. He said most Saudi theater actors learn the craft at school and are mostly completely self-taught. He believes that theater is a way to express one's inner feelings and thoughts and can also be a platform for Islamic teachings and social messages. Falatah has 12 years' experience in the field, has worked on more than 31 plays and won awards both locally and internationally. Theater is not his profession. He is a chemistry teacher at King Abdul Aziz University, currently doing research in the field and preparing to do his masters and doctorate. He said that while he has participated in many plays, there is an “emptiness” because he cannot make this his profession. “I really want to be an actor and want to learn more about theater and art but unfortunately, we don't have a platform where we can learn things professionally. We really need an institute for this training,” he added. Hail Agill, another theater actor, echoes this view. He added that Saudi Arabia does not have a theater-going culture like other countries, so the support for theater is limited. “I want to get a degree in theater and learn more. Together we can change the mindset of people and spread good cultural and social messages,” he said. Agill, 33, said he has been in theater since he was four years old at school. He is currently working in the airline industry. “I like theater and feel that I am a good actor, so I am trying to put some more energy on stage. I also write plays and do some TV work as well. I was in a very well-known series called “Baba Farha” where I played the role of Eid with Khalid Al-Harbi,” he said. Agill explained that “The Cave” was experimental theater. It was produced in only two weeks, while working late nights at the theater.The play talks about life, death and the philosophy behind it. He said that his character is a good person, while the other character, played by Othman Falata, has negative shades. “It's about the fact that everybody is waiting for his chance in life, to get what he wants or the way he wants to live his life. People have dreams but at the end of the day, they find that the life they are leading is not what they want. But they still have to live it, because life will not stop unless you are dead,” he explained.
