Last update:
4 November 2009
16 Thu AlQe'da 1430

Aisha AlBishinnatiyah: Jean d'Arc of Tripoli

(Tripoli: The Land of Victories)

2-Hours Theatre Play

Scenario: Farouq AlAhdab & Said Tizani
Dresses & Stage Decoration: Maha Khaled
Historical Sources: Prof. Omar AbduSalam Tadmori
Directed by: Mousa Mer'eb

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Brief Notes

Composed: 1977-1984

History: The story of this play was first published in 1977 in the Lebanese newspaper alSafeer by Prof. Omar Tadmori while describing the history of the Mameluke conquests in Tripoli against the Crusades (13th Century CE). The story was then adapted by the author Mr. Said Tizani who made it ready for a first show in 1984 at the stage of alRabita alThakafiyah in Tripoli. Because of the demand, it was played again in 1986 under the title "A Heroine From My Country". On October 14-16, 2000, the play was performed for a third time on the same stage under the title "Tripoli The Land Of Victories".

Synopsis: This theatre play tells the story of the Tripolitan Heroine Aisha al-Bishinnatiyah, who was born in the village of Zaghart Beshennat at the Zagharta Province. Aisha witnessed the injustice of the occupying Franks and Crusades. Aisha grew up in an atmosphere of hatred against the Crusades. She dedicated herself to fight against the occupier until the victory or to be a martyr. Aisha started organizing the fighters (mujahideen) in secret groups and taught them the arts of duel fighting. Every now and then, she conducted some successful revolutionary activities while camouflaging in the dresses of men and then returning to her base without being identified or seen. These attacks caused severe damages to the Crusades Army. The increase in such activities, and the lack of information about the individuals behind the attacks, caused a feeling of unease among the Crusade leaders despite their large troops in the region.

Hasan, the brother of Aisha, however, had good relations with the Crusades. Some of the Crusade leaders tried to make Hasan feel that they were so close to him in order to make him a very easy weapon against their Mameluke rivals. Hasan was then used to kill and eliminate all those who cooperated with the Mamelukes coming from Egypt to conquer the occupied lands. It is at that time that a serious political and military dispute started between him and his sister Aisha. But after sometime. Hasan realizes the real intentions of the Crusades and all their conspiracies and plots against his native countrymen. At that moment he waked up and joined his sister and the Mamelukes in their continuous struggle against the Crusades. In one of those battles, Aisha falls down wounded and soon dies to be the martyr of her country and her struggle, giving a wonderful example of sacrifice and redemption..

Quick Analysis: The play presents the most noble acts of some important historical Tripolitan personalities in a very elegant way. The exciting fact about the play is that it tells the story of Aisha, the Tripolitan Lady, through the Story Teller (Hakawatee), who is a man based in a public cafe during the early 20th Century. The intention here is to bring to our memories the important role played by the Story Teller in the Tripolitan society during that period of time. The events run smoothly exhibiting Tripoli at the same stage in different views of distant historical periods with an occasionally fine sense of humor.

Dresses and Stage Decoration presents the best of Maha Khaled, who has a Diploma in Arts during Tripolitan history. As a matter of fact, the stage decoration is a modification of the graduation project she made before she graduated in 1986.

Aisha al-Bishinnatiyah: Rouba alShareef is a graduate with a Diploma in Arabic Literature and she studied acting.

Col. Hasan: Tawfik alMasri, the son of the former actor Mr. Awni alMasri, is practicing acting since 35 years despite the fact that he is an Aviation Electronics Engineer.

Col. Sa'ad: AbdulRaheem Alaeddin is a member of the Actors' Society and has many contributions in the television and the cinema.

Lucy: Tania Mer'eb

The Story Teller: Farouk alAhdab

Umm alAbad: Najwa Faraj

Other Actors: Lateef Atiyyeh, Ghazi Kabbarah, Wassim alRifi, Tawfik Akl, Radi Ghandour, Radi Abdo, Mouwaffak Julaylati, Salim Jawhar, Salah alAli, Majed Arna'out, Ahmad Diab, and Ghazi Mikati.