Mansoor’s first play helps establish Al Khaleej Al Arabi theatre
He passes his ‘father’s test’
This is the second in a series of articles on Mansoor Abdullah Khalifa Mansoor Al Arfij, an outstanding stage artist and director.
– Editor
and through the years he was reelected at every new election because of his good leadership qualities that made everyone happy to be working with him.
Among the most successful of the early productions still remembered with nostalgia by people are: “The Lost Family”, “The Lost Rooster,” “One, Two, Three...Bum!” And “Friday-night’s Devils,” all these plays were dealing with social problems that worried the most alert minds of those days.
Preparations
Preparations for the play and rehearsals were done first at the house of Mansoor.
After the success of its first play “Abee Safer wa Bas” (I Want to Travel and That’s it!) a place for the club was hired in the town of Neqrah, but neighbors refused to have actors in their midst, so they rose a complaint against them.
All parties were pacified by the intervention of Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Governor of Hawally, (presently HH the Crown Prince), a strong supporter and sympathizer of the actors.
Other personalities who took an interest in their performance were the Crown Prince, Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Salem Al Sabah,
Lidia Qattan
(HH the late Father Amir ), Sheikh Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah, the pioneer in the High Cultural movement of Kuwait, and other broad-minded individuals who could appreciate the message the actors were trying to convey to the public.
The same message was echoed in the works of prominent intellectuals and artists worried about the far-reaching consequences of the phenomenon on the Kuwaiti society.
From the first play “I Want to Travel and That’s it!”,each new production, directed by the brilliant stage director Saqer Al Rashood, was a hit, because it was presented in the form of a melodrama to which the public took with enthusiasm.
A typical play “Al Khatya wa Al Fathya “(Sin and Scandal)”, in which Mansoor played the leading role, was a warning to parents, who giving too much freedom to their boys, spoiled them and lost control over them, hence they were directly and indirectly responsible for them getting into trouble.
Incidentally, the inauguration of this play, which began as a comedy and ended as a tragedy, was one of Mansoor toughest experience.
At the time of rehearsals his father became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized.
Every day, between rehearsals and other commitments Mansoor went to see him. In one of those occasions his father said to him: “My boy, let me know when the play starts, will you? I’ll ask the doctor to let me out for the day to see if you are as smart on stage as you are on the radio.”
On the eve of the presentation his father passed away and Mansoor, bereaved and heart-broken, was faced with the dilemma of whether to go on stage, or to postpone the opening.
He was now the head of the family and according to tradition and honored customs he had to observe the three days of mourning, during which visitors and friends were coming to the family to pay their last respect to the defunct.
At the same time he had a responsibility towards his public, because all the tickets of the opening had been bought and he felt obligated to go on stage.
Tension
For some time he dwelt in an agony of tension, grief and indecision. He did not know what to do.
He loved his father to the point of adoration and all he wanted was to be left alone to cry his heart out. But he had to face people and put on a brave front before his little brothers and sisters as an example to them.
He also felt he had to fulfill his obligation to the public and go on stage, but he was afraid he would blackout during performance, or forget his lines when playing the comedy role.
Thinking and pondering on his predicament only added to his grief and uncertainty, till he remembered his father’s words when he protested to continue the taxi business. He then understood his real objective. His father had been preparing him for the responsibility he was now to shoulder.
Indeed hard work and his contact with people had disciplined him to accept challenges and face problems with courage. The final test had come and he had to prove worthy of his father’s trust.
The decision was hard, but standing firm to it was harder, because he had to face people who deemed scandalous that at such a time of mourning he should go on stage and be a comedian.
His friends at the football club were appalled. They criticized him but could not dissuade him.
Worrying about public criticism they tried to get him out of the country, but when Mansoor realized their intention, he was deeply moved, but refused to leave.
On the night of the opening when the curtain rose and Mansoor felt all eyes on him he was in a nightmare of suspense and conflicting emotions. For a moment he froze. His mind went black and his heart sank to its abysmal depth.
The moment of truth had come and he felt lost. He saw the wisdom in his friends’ attempt to stop him and he wished he did listen to them.
Remembered
In that frightful moment a whole eternity passed before him, but when he remembered his father’s wish to see his performance and he felt his presence in the audience all his apprehension and fear faded away.
Suddenly a glowing feeling was ushering through his veins dispersing his anxiety as he regained a hold on himself.
When he began to speak he saw in the audience his father shining through with an encouraging smile.
Like in a dream Mansoor began playing his role. People were laughing and clapping but he was hardly aware of their reaction. When his part changed from comedy to tragedy, he suddenly felt he was re-enacting his real-life drama, in that moment all the pain and anguish in his heart broke loose, the floodgate of his emotion burst open and he felt an intense relief.
Dimly aware of the people’s reaction Mansoor was delivering his message with astonishing skill, imparting to the play a grand finale.
In his heart he passed the test his father had prepared him for, and that gave him a subtle sense of pride and relief.
Commenting on his performance a journalist reported Mansoor saying. “My success is due to the death of my father.” No one, except those closest to him, understood what he really meant.
To be continued