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After the book signing of On The Road …A last April in Beirut, Roda Fawaz returns to the Monnot Theatre at the behest of Josyane Boulos with his show On The Road … A, originally scheduled from November 29 to December 3 but postponed due to the unrest in Lebanon. New dates for the show are to be announced at a later time.
Roda Fawaz, a Belgian author, director and actor of Lebanese origin, born in Morocco and raised in Guinea, is a citizen of the world. Enriched by four cultures and an identity rooted in three different countries, he shares his story through his performance titled On The Road … A, which later evolved into a book. Desiring to communicate his experience without engaging in political or media debates, he chose to simply narrate his life and history in the context of a performance.
“This is a show about everything that conditions an individual’s life, about everything that constitutes a person. I would like to go beyond this notion of identity, synonymous with origin and religion, and show that every human being is much more complex than we think and is a composite of the people they meet,” Fawaz explains in a brief interview with Ici Beyrouth. “So it’s the story of this character who meets other people who influence him. I also touch on being a foreigner in a certain country, having different origins. Belgian in France and Lebanon, Lebanese in Belgium, having grown up in West Africa, in Guinea… I wanted to share all of that.”
He shares this notion of identity, drawing parallels with the concept mentioned by Amin Maalouf, particularly as detailed in the book In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong, which is a starting point for both the discussion and Fawaz’s story. Recognizing that many others have experienced similar lives, he decides to turn his story into a book to allow readers to identify with this experience — a wish explicitly expressed by the artist.
The ‘Challenge’ of Lebanon
“A book travels more easily than a performance,” he notes. “I wanted this story to travel. It’s a text that’s quite pleasant to read, and I like it when people project themselves and imagine the character,” Fawaz continues. When the book reaches Lebanon, the author then meets his Lebanese audience during the signing at Antoine Bookstore in April. “But at that time, I did not know yet that I was going to return to the stage to offer the show, especially in Lebanon,” he emphasizes.
Fawaz decided to conclude his show, which had been performed in 2016 and continued for three consecutive years. He decided to pause and move on to other things. “I told myself that I would only return when faced with a compelling challenge or a promising opportunity,” says the artist.
“And when I met Boulos, who proposed that I perform solo on stage in Lebanon, I saw Lebanon as a challenge. I obviously could not refuse. If it opens an opportunity in Africa, it would be a joy to do it because there is also a large part of my show about Africa. I would have then played my story in all the countries corresponding to my life experience. But already with these dates in Lebanon, it’s a magnificent opportunity,” he adds.
Fawaz has always maintained a certain distance from his country of origin, possibly because he visited it a bit late in life. But only recently has his relationship with Lebanon strengthened and been built, especially with the video in which he expressed himself after the explosion of August 4, which went viral on social media. “I received a lot of messages from Lebanese people in Lebanon, which suddenly forged a link between me and the country… It was the first time I felt such a strong link with Lebanon. Subsequently, I have been determined to sustain this real bond that I have with the people. It really brought something to me. Since then, I try to maintain this connection by supporting theatrical art in Lebanon, among other things, with a particular focus on the mission of Boulos. I try to support this relationship with this country by discovering it through art. Writing played a pivotal role in creating this bridge, so I want to further nurture this relationship and maintain this ‘Lebanon-ness’.”
Adopting the Lebanese Lifestyle
His identity as a Lebanese is now confidently and authetically expressed. To take it even further, Fawaz undertakes the challenge of living day to day during his stay in the country, aligning his rhythm with that of the Lebanese — a difficult endeavor and a huge accomplishment for him, almost a mission.
“One of the objectives of life, in my opinion, is to live day to day and step into the unknown,” stresses the artist. “And I find that the Lebanese have this strength and this courage, albeit often accompanied by tension. But it’s hard for me to accept that we work on the show while not knowing if, due to the situation, it will be maintained. We cannot necessarily project ourselves, nor dream, nor ultimately live. We just know that we must move forward, no matter the circumstances. This is how the Lebanese live, and I am now experiencing it a little. Differently put, it is difficult but so important for me to be able to play this show. We will attempt to see it through to the end.”
To discover the touching character of Fawaz, as he takes you on a journey filled with humor and self-deprecation at the heart of his story and to meet the 20 or so people he embodies, be sure not to miss On The Road …A once the new dates are set.
The performance will also offer the opportunity to appreciate the magnificent music of Ibrahim Maalouf, reflecting the notion of identity addressed by Fawaz, which harmonizes the show with the sound of the musician’s trumpet.
