- 19
- Mar
- 2024
Nathalie Naoum's Breathtaking Journey from Kfarchima to Madfoun
modified on 11 Apr. 2024 à 15:55 Read : 3 minute(s) A A A
In the play titled Min Kfarchima lal Madfoun, Nathalie Naoum makes her grand return. After a long career in television and journalism, and a period away from the cameras, she delivers a breathtaking performance on the stage of the Monnot Theatre in a play written by the incomparable Yehia Jaber.
After writing and directing Mjaddra Hamra in 2018, a narrative about three Shiite women superbly portrayed by Anjo Rihane, and then Morphine in 2022, the second play of the trilogy featuring actress Sawsan Chawraba, who highlights the tragedy of a woman battling cancer, Yehia Jaber creates a new piece. This work showcases the Christian climate in Lebanon through the personal drama of a woman.
Behind the scenes, Nathalie Naoum reveals that, in a meeting with Yehia Jaber, she spontaneously asked him to write a play for her. He accepted her challenge, and after six months of diligent work, and extensive discussions about the actress’s personality and her personal outlook on life, the script was completed.
Having never acted in theater before, Naoum boldly steps onto the stage (in a dotted dress). In a setting that’s deliberately minimalist, with no decorations and only a chair and a scarf as props, she delivers a commanding performance, engaging in a monologue for nearly two hours.
She embodies the role of Laura, a Maronite woman in her fifties who uncovers her husband’s affair. Her husband, a prominent divorce lawyer of Orthodox faith, has been unfaithful with her best friend. Naoum captivates the audience by seamlessly alternating between humor and drama, drawing a subtle parallel to the Lebanese situation through the lens of a Christian woman. The play’s success lies in its nuanced exploration of social, economic, and cultural issues, from the civil war to the distorted views held by residents of East and West Beirut, addressing prejudices, pretenses, friendships, love, adultery, and family life amidst bombings.
These themes are brilliantly addressed, leading each audience member on a journey from Kfarchima to Madfoun, starting from Tabaris in Achrafieh, through the Nahr El Kalb tunnel — a witness to numerous tragedies — under the benevolent gaze of Christ the King, through Jounieh under the protection of the Virgin of Harissa, and finally to Jbeil.
On stage, Naoum sings and dances to lighten the intense atmosphere. She revives the audience by dancing in front of a pot of 'Chich Barak' in an attempt to allure her husband and references iconic artists like Philémon Wehbe, Melhem Barakat, and Majida El Roumi to enrich her songs.
Her goal to publicly expose her husband’s infidelity turns into a cyclic struggle, leaving her directionless at the risk of ending up in Madfoun, a place symbolizing death ("Buried" in Arabic).
Loneliness is another pervasive theme in the play, manifesting in the protagonist’s reluctance to pursue a divorce. She fears ending up alone, akin to her neighbor Toufic, who was found dead in his bathtub.
The play is running until March 24 at the Monnot Theatre and will soon be performed at the Al Madina Theatre and Beryte. Our national "Natalou" will continue to surprise audiences throughout the summer season.
After writing and directing Mjaddra Hamra in 2018, a narrative about three Shiite women superbly portrayed by Anjo Rihane, and then Morphine in 2022, the second play of the trilogy featuring actress Sawsan Chawraba, who highlights the tragedy of a woman battling cancer, Yehia Jaber creates a new piece. This work showcases the Christian climate in Lebanon through the personal drama of a woman.
Behind the scenes, Nathalie Naoum reveals that, in a meeting with Yehia Jaber, she spontaneously asked him to write a play for her. He accepted her challenge, and after six months of diligent work, and extensive discussions about the actress’s personality and her personal outlook on life, the script was completed.
Having never acted in theater before, Naoum boldly steps onto the stage (in a dotted dress). In a setting that’s deliberately minimalist, with no decorations and only a chair and a scarf as props, she delivers a commanding performance, engaging in a monologue for nearly two hours.
She embodies the role of Laura, a Maronite woman in her fifties who uncovers her husband’s affair. Her husband, a prominent divorce lawyer of Orthodox faith, has been unfaithful with her best friend. Naoum captivates the audience by seamlessly alternating between humor and drama, drawing a subtle parallel to the Lebanese situation through the lens of a Christian woman. The play’s success lies in its nuanced exploration of social, economic, and cultural issues, from the civil war to the distorted views held by residents of East and West Beirut, addressing prejudices, pretenses, friendships, love, adultery, and family life amidst bombings.
These themes are brilliantly addressed, leading each audience member on a journey from Kfarchima to Madfoun, starting from Tabaris in Achrafieh, through the Nahr El Kalb tunnel — a witness to numerous tragedies — under the benevolent gaze of Christ the King, through Jounieh under the protection of the Virgin of Harissa, and finally to Jbeil.
On stage, Naoum sings and dances to lighten the intense atmosphere. She revives the audience by dancing in front of a pot of 'Chich Barak' in an attempt to allure her husband and references iconic artists like Philémon Wehbe, Melhem Barakat, and Majida El Roumi to enrich her songs.
Her goal to publicly expose her husband’s infidelity turns into a cyclic struggle, leaving her directionless at the risk of ending up in Madfoun, a place symbolizing death ("Buried" in Arabic).
Loneliness is another pervasive theme in the play, manifesting in the protagonist’s reluctance to pursue a divorce. She fears ending up alone, akin to her neighbor Toufic, who was found dead in his bathtub.
The play is running until March 24 at the Monnot Theatre and will soon be performed at the Al Madina Theatre and Beryte. Our national "Natalou" will continue to surprise audiences throughout the summer season.
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