Racine’s Bérénice was performed in Arabic at the IMA, Paris, in a unique theatrical experience where the Arabic and French languages intertwine. This event, part of the Arabic Language Week, featured a dramatic reading of Jean Racine's Bérénice on Friday, December 15.
The performance captivated the audience with a theatrical reading in literary Arabic, subtitled in French, while interspersing French passages that resonated in harmony with the Arabic. The cast included Edouard Dossetto as Titus, Emperor of Rome; Ghina Daou as Bérénice, Queen of Palestine; Majd Mastoura as Antiochus, King of Commagene; Leslie Gruel in the role of Paulin, Titus' confidante; Adam Karoutchi as Arsace, Antiochus' confidant; and Amale Benhaddou as Phénice, Bérénice's confidante. The performance was directed by Marie Benati, and the play is set to music by Osloob.
This theatrical reading transcended a mere recitation as the actors' declamations revealed a deep longing for love and understanding. The performance resonated with the desire to comprehend and empathize, occasionally breaking into heartfelt cries in their native tongues.
[gallery link="none" size="full" ids="209001,209002,209003"]
Director Marie Benati chose to translate Racine's work into literary Arabic, avoiding dialectal variations. She believed that the musicality of Alexandrine verse and the literary and poetic richness of both languages justified this choice. The foreign characters in Rome — Bérénice, Antiochus, Phénice, and Arsace — were portrayed in a different language, with subtitles provided. This approach symbolizes an "otherness" that simultaneously isolates and protects them, utilizing a language of intimacy, secrecy, and sincerity.
Through this polyglot performance, Bérénice aims to reach a broad audience, conveying messages of curiosity and tolerance. When asked why she particularly chose Bérénice, Marie Benati mentioned her long-held fascination with Racine's text since her high school days. She wanted to highlight specific verses that resonated with her, depicting the play as more than just a love story. Bérénice delves into themes of territorial conquest, insurmountable borders, legitimacy, and countries at war in foreign languages, reflecting contemporary contexts.
The project aims to evolve into a full-scale production, with two performances already scheduled in France for September 2024. The troupe is open to future collaborations and hopes to bring Bérénice to stages in Arabic-speaking countries and beyond.
Marie-Christine Tayah
Instagram: @mariechristine.tayah
The performance captivated the audience with a theatrical reading in literary Arabic, subtitled in French, while interspersing French passages that resonated in harmony with the Arabic. The cast included Edouard Dossetto as Titus, Emperor of Rome; Ghina Daou as Bérénice, Queen of Palestine; Majd Mastoura as Antiochus, King of Commagene; Leslie Gruel in the role of Paulin, Titus' confidante; Adam Karoutchi as Arsace, Antiochus' confidant; and Amale Benhaddou as Phénice, Bérénice's confidante. The performance was directed by Marie Benati, and the play is set to music by Osloob.
This theatrical reading transcended a mere recitation as the actors' declamations revealed a deep longing for love and understanding. The performance resonated with the desire to comprehend and empathize, occasionally breaking into heartfelt cries in their native tongues.
[gallery link="none" size="full" ids="209001,209002,209003"]
Director Marie Benati chose to translate Racine's work into literary Arabic, avoiding dialectal variations. She believed that the musicality of Alexandrine verse and the literary and poetic richness of both languages justified this choice. The foreign characters in Rome — Bérénice, Antiochus, Phénice, and Arsace — were portrayed in a different language, with subtitles provided. This approach symbolizes an "otherness" that simultaneously isolates and protects them, utilizing a language of intimacy, secrecy, and sincerity.
Through this polyglot performance, Bérénice aims to reach a broad audience, conveying messages of curiosity and tolerance. When asked why she particularly chose Bérénice, Marie Benati mentioned her long-held fascination with Racine's text since her high school days. She wanted to highlight specific verses that resonated with her, depicting the play as more than just a love story. Bérénice delves into themes of territorial conquest, insurmountable borders, legitimacy, and countries at war in foreign languages, reflecting contemporary contexts.
The project aims to evolve into a full-scale production, with two performances already scheduled in France for September 2024. The troupe is open to future collaborations and hopes to bring Bérénice to stages in Arabic-speaking countries and beyond.
Marie-Christine Tayah
Instagram: @mariechristine.tayah
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