Prof. Samir Adnan Al-Matroud gives Lecture on the History of Syrian Theater

The writer Prof. Samir Adnan Al Matroud, who is member of the Arab Writers Union, recently gave a lecture on “The History of Syrian Theater” at the Arab Cultural Center in Kafr Sousa in Damascus.

He started his lecture with talking about the first ancient Greek theater that began 5000 years ago.

“In the modern era, Syrian theater started when Maroun Nakkash came as a Lebanese merchant and brought with him a play from Rome. Then, Ahmed Abu Khalil al-Qabbani, who was born in1871, came to be the pioneer of the Syrian theater” He said.

“Al- Qabbani succeeded in achieving a big turnout of audiences in the city of Damascus to attend his shows and plays,” Al- Matroud added .

Abu Khalil al-Qabbani staged many plays and performances in the middle of the 19th century, such as Karakouz, Awaz and Khayal Al-Zull

The lecturer also focused on theaters that were also established in several Syrian cities, including Homs, Aleppo and Latakia.

In Homs, the theater was founded by Farhan Bulbul, and in Aleppo, Youssef Neamat Allah

In 1959 until 1981, the National Theater was established and staged 94 plays.

And then the military theater, the mobile theater, and the university theater spread, grew up, and flourished.

Reported by: Nada Haj Khidr