Abstract
Shakespeare is among those theatrical icons highly celebrated in the Arab world. The aim in this paper is to investigate acculturation strategies commenced by theatre amateurs in performing Shakespeare’s plays in Saudi Arabia. Major to the acculturation process is Hakim’s argument to eradicate Arabic versions from supernatural elements rejected in the Islamic Arabic culture. Among references quoted in this study are John W. Berry’s acculturation steps and Robert Barton’s three I’s of investigation, inference and invention. This study follows the descriptive analytical method and relies on interviews and focus groups to trace those strategies endeavored in local adaptations of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth and Hamlet. Figures demonstrate not only the different sectors in Saudi amateur theatre, but also their strategies in acculturation for the aim of staging to different audiences. One of the most important figures is the module recommended in the conclusion to facilitate the tasks of directors in performing Shakespeare and Classics to non-English audiences.
Highlights
Shakespeare has been an area of interest in the Arab World since the final decades in the nineteenth century
The aim in this paper is to investigate acculturation strategies commenced by theatre amateurs in performing Shakespeare’s plays in Saudi Arabia
Among the four adaptations selected for stage-production, The Final Act has been nominated for the public festival held in 27th March celebrating World Theatre Day
Summary
Shakespeare has been an area of interest in the Arab World since the final decades in the nineteenth century. Shakespeare’s plays have been first introduced to Arab Stage through French translations. By reading those translated texts, Arab intelligentsia select those plays which glorify heroism, virtue, honor and morals. They incorporate specific strategies aiming “to delight the audience” when they “sum up scenes, change their sequence, delete several characters and, sometimes, modify the tragic end.”. Their attempts are mere steps into acculturation In the Academic female sector, audiences are always females with different cultural backgrounds
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