13 shows and performances to take place at Sharjah International Book Fair

Two plays, three stage shows and eight roaming performances are taking place at the 11-day event

'Interactive Illusion' show will blend illusion and reality through technology to bring books to life in a new way. Photo: Sharjah International Book Fair

Next month, the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair will return for an 11-day event with the theme “there is always a right book”.

It seems there’s always a right performance, too, as a schedule of events has been announced in the run-up to the festival.

Two plays, three stage shows, eight roaming performances and several workshops will be taking place, all of which are suitable for the whole family.

Rabbits Play, for instance, will capture the children’s hearts through its elaborate set pieces and twisting plot that tells the tale of a power struggle between dreamers and enemies of success.

The long-running comedic play Ghalib in New Delhi will also run, recounting the adventures of poet Mirza Ghalib after he is reborn in 21st-century India.

Live Books Symphony is an audiovisual display of music and dance, while the Interactive Illusion show will blend illusion and reality through technology to bring books to life via graphics and animations.

Elsewhere, the Crazy Science School stage show will make science fun for youngsters, as performers undertake experiments on stage.

Roaming parades by eight international troupes will be taking place throughout the halls and lobbies of the Expo Centre Sharjah, where the event is taking place, and among these is the Green Tree, featuring plants who mingle with fairgoers. Street Music with Mechanical Puppets will also be there, presenting a theatrical piece of songs that tell stories from different continents.

These shows form the backdrop to a book fair that promises the participation of 1,567 publishing houses from 83 countries, with more than 15 million books on display. Among the authors to attend 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, alongside Money Heist creator Alex Pina, Jnanpith Award-winner Amitav Ghosh and The Pursuit of Happyness author Chris Gardner.

The Sharjah International Book Fair takes place from Wednesday, November 3 to Saturday, November 13.

More information is available at sibf.com