Theatre production holds open call for aspiring UAE playboys

Aspiring actors will have a chance to appear in the Middle Eastern take on John Millington Synge's social satire, The Playboy of the Western World.

The Abu Dhabi-based Resuscitation Theatre will be holding auditions for The Playboy of the Western Region on September 8 and 10. The UAE adaptation of the play will be performed in November across the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain.

Maggie Hannan, the founder of Resuscitation Theatre, was eager to make the classic Irish play relevant to the region.

She began by setting the story - of a young man fleeing his hometown after committing a crime, only to settle in a village where he becomes known as a hero for his embellished accounts of what happened - in Liwa and replacing the word "world" with "region" in the title.

"We've cleaned it up a little and we are examining more the structured themes, such as father-son and male-female relationships in rule-driven societies," says Hannan.

"We feel people in the Emirates will be able to relate because they do share some similarities with the Irish culture." Both are religious cultures, she says, that live by a strict moral code in a "more simple and structured way".

"I am finishing off the script now and am planning to incorporate Emirati poetry and music. Poetry is important in Emirati culture, so that is why I felt it was important to add." Hannan is looking to cast eight roles.

"I'm looking for animated actors of all nationalities, and I'd like to encourage as many Emiratis as possible, too," she says.

The auditions are on September 8 from 4pm to 6pm and September 10 from 8pm to 10pm at the Get Moving Fitness and Spa Centre near 31st St and Muroor in Abu Dhabi. Visit www.resuscitationtheatre.com.