Car stereos, dance and theatre form new Sharjah art programme — but not as you know them

Expect the unexpected as artists use audience improv, computer-generated voices and enormous sound systems during Perform Sharjah

'New Creation' by Bruno Beltrao is on the programme. Photo: Wonge Bergmann

A symphony of supercharged car stereos, audiences dictating the journey of a live theatre show and a city tour run by a Siri-style computer voice are top of the bill on Sharjah Art Foundation's new performance programme.

Perform Sharjah, which begins next Friday and runs until January, features five interactive and entirely different performances from regional and international artists.

It has been curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh, Sharjah Art Foundation's first head of performance, and also allows participants to join in with workshops, talks and educational programmes.

Here are five performances to not miss.

‘Every Brilliant Thing’

Date: November 4

Location: Bait Obaid Al Shamsi

The programme opens with the Arabic version of the play Every Brilliant Thing, adapted and directed by Ahmed El Attar. The play stars Syrian actress Nanda Mohamed alone on an empty stage, where she is challenged to balance the storyline in conjunction with improvisation from the audience.

‘Automobile 9’

Date: November 6

Location: Al Rolla Square Car Park

Lebanese artist and composer Joe Namy will present the ninth iteration of his sonic performance Automobile, which will happen at behind Al Rolla Square Car Park, in collaboration with the owners of cars fitted with powerful, custom-made sound systems.

Namy will bring this practice into the city centre, connecting speakers to create an enormous stereo system, simultaneously broadcasting field recordings gathered and composed by himself.

‘Remote Sharjah’

Date: November 11, 13, 18, 20; December 9, 11; and January 6, 8

Location: Al Mureijah Square

Award-winning theatre group Rimini Protokoll will recreate a version of Remote X, an interactive performance that has taken place in many cities around the world. For each new Remote X, a unique structure is developed based on the urban fabric of the hosting site.

The UAE version, titled Remote Sharjah, will begin at the Sharjah Art Foundation spaces in Al Mureijah Square where a computer-generated voice will guide participants as they walk through a sequence of carefully selected indoor and outdoor sites. The performance will be conducted in English, Arabic, Urdu and Malayalam.

‘After All Springville: Disasters and Amusement Parks’

Date: December 6, 7

Location: Bait Obaid Al Shamsi

Belgian visual artist Miet Warlop’s After All Springville: Disasters and Amusement Parks blends theatre and visual arts together to create an immersive performative work. During her performance in Sharjah, spectators will see half-human characters interacting with one another in familiar, everyday scenarios.

‘New Creation’

Date: January 8

Location: Sharjah Performing Arts Academy

The season concludes with Brazilian choreographer Bruno Beltrao’s performance New Creation. Beltrao and his company Grupo de Rua deconstruct hip-hop and explore the vocabulary of street and contemporary dance while translating the political realities of Brazil into bodily energy within the framework of music and space.

More information is at ticket.sharjahart.org

Pop South Asia art pieces at the Sharjah Art Foundation - in pictures