Yusuf Al-Ani’s dramatic journeys and his theatrical cane

Abstract

Providing an account of al-Ani’s artistic development as both actor and playwright through his contemporaneous experience in the Iraqi theatre, Mehdi explores the role of folklore and theatrical realism in the manner developed by Bertolt Brecht, alongside progressive social and political concepts that all influenced al-Ani’s works. The harmonization of experimentation between the native expression evident in al-Ani’s writing and his directing, that is, the combination of originality and the folkloric aspect that captures the essence of the experience of the Iraqi individual provided the potential for Iraqi theatrical expression moving forward. The connection to al-Ani’s commitment to see such conceptual commitments be expressed through an Iraqi idiom provided the theatre with intellectual respect amongst Iraqi intellectuals, while his efforts to professionalize and develop Iraqi theatre troupes and production capacities led to a growing regional and global reputation. This development provided great opportunity not only for al-Ani but also for the Iraqi arts broadly and the theatre in particular. By developing deep roots within Iraq’s emerging public culture al-Ani supported Iraqi theatre-makers who followed to be afforded considerable opportunity. The debt that modern Iraqi theatre owes to al-Ani through his enormous talent and prodigious efforts to elevate the art form to the highest levels connects the artist to his society.