The Monnot Theater was packed for the premiere of Zaradacht sara kalban, a work composed of four short plays written by Raymond Gebara during the Lebanese civil war. This creation, directed by Antoine Achkar, explores with biting and provocative humor the themes of servility and fear in the face of religious and military authorities.

Through a plot that revolves around the dehumanization caused by these submissive relationships, Gebara pushes sarcasm to its limits, to the point of becoming disturbing. He reminds us of how human nature can be cornered in extreme situations. A message that still resonates today and that seduced, on this opening night, directors, stage directors, journalists and spectators. They all seem to see it as an invitation to a salutary awakening.

Zaradacht sara kalban recounts, in three tableaux, human nature humiliated by all sorts of absurd laws. The common thread is a man, played by Antoine Achkar himself, who communicates with his deceased grandmother in heaven. He confides to her his sufferings and those of his fellow men on this earth, especially during the Lebanese civil war, a period when all values were shattered.

The play opens on a humorous note, with actors Salma Chalabi, Samer Sarkis, Miran Malaeb and Joseph Sassine promising the audience a memorable evening that will allow them to forget their daily worries. A successful bet, Raymond Gebara might say, not without a certain bitterness, as history seems to repeat itself tirelessly for Lebanon.

Antoine Achkar’s staging brilliantly serves Gebara’s text, underlining the absurdity and cruelty of the depicted situations. The actors, through their intense acting and stage presence, bring to life characters that are both laughable and pathetic, reflections of a suffering humanity.

Zaradacht sara kalban is a thought-provoking and unsettling performance, a mirror held up to a Lebanese society scarred by conflicts and abuses of power. By choosing to stage this play today, Antoine Achkar and his troupe remind us of the necessity of art as a tool for reflection and resistance against oppression.

A must-see show for all those who believe in the power of the theater to awaken consciences and spark debate. Zaradacht sara kalban is playing at the Monnot Theater until March 27, Monday through Sunday at 8:30 PM. Tickets are available on the Antoine platform or directly at the Monnot Theater. An intense and necessary theatrical experience carried by committed and talented artists.