10 - A Student of Theatre in Paris

Summary

In this chapter, Sa’dallah Wannous’ friend Farouk Mardam-Bey, one of Syria’s foremost intellectuals living in exile, who is also the most respected doyen of Arabic literature in French translation, shares anecdotes about Wannous. He focuses on the years Wannous spent as a student in Paris from 1966 to 1968, a formative period in his apprenticeship, during which he immersed himself in the rich and tumultuous cultural and political life of Paris. Mardam-Bey argues that in addition to questioning the ambiguous relationship that existed between Europe and the Arab world, Wannous also interrogated the relationship among literature, theatre and spectacle in the contemporary world and was particularly intrigued by the association between political protest and theatre, both in conventional theatres and on the streets. The chapter's purpose is to highlight that Wannous’ encounters and friendships with a host of writers and artists from France, the Arab world and other post-colonial countries deeply affected his trajectory and writing.