Plays

Sayf 840

• Date: 9–10 Dec. 1993
• Place: Nepean Centrepoint Theatre

In the Summer of 1840 during the rule of Egyptian Sultan Ibrahim Basha and his Lebanese collaborators, the people of Lebanon, of all religions, held a meeting in the square of Ount Elais.

The birth of the revolution against the government and its high taxes and persecution was the result of that meeting.

Realizing they lacked the power to overthrow the government by themselves they enlisted the help of outside forces, including those of England, Russia, Persia, Austria and Ismanien (Turkish Empire) in retaliation the government allied itself with France.

As a result families were divided between the rights of the people and their loyalties to the government. The love affair of Mira, daughter of Yous Basha and Seif El Bahr, the rebellious sailor highlighted the division between right and wrong.

In the end, after claiming victory, the people of Lebanon along with their allies decided to expel Ibrahim Basha from Syria and Lebanon. To the surprise of the people the allies had decided to return the Ismanien as peace keepers to the region the people accepted this with the exception of Seif El Bahr who saw it as an exchange of occupational forces rather than that of the liberation of a country.

صيف ٨٤٠

في صيف سنة "١٨٤٠" وخلال حكم اهيم باشا المصري واعوانه اللبنانيين، على منطقة سوريا ولبنان، تجتمع فئات من الشعب ومن كل الطوائف اللبنانية، في ساحة انطلياس، وتعلن الثورة باسم العامية، وتدعو الجميع الى تحدي الضلم، ومقاومة الذل وعدم تسخير الناس ودفع الضر ائب.

تدعم هذه الثورة دول اجنبية، وعلى رأسها الحكم العثماني انكلترا، روسيا، بروسيا والنمسا، بينما فرنسا تدعم الحكم المصري ضد الشعب والعامية.

يتم الاتفاق بين الدول الحليفة، على طرد ابر اهيم باشا من سوريا ولبنان، واسقاط حكمه، بشرط الحصول على سماح خطي من العامية مطالبة بعودة الكم العثماني، وبناء على ذلك توافق العامية، وتوجه رسالة الى السلطان الشهاني، طالبين منه تظليلهم بالعلم العثماني وحسب الاتفاق ترسل الدول الحليفة اساطيلها وعسكر ها مساندة العامية فتقع المعركة على ارض لبنانية، وبمساعدة عناصر لبنانية، وتنتصر العامية على ابر اهيم باشا ويتم طرده، وحسب الاتفاق يعين مكانه حاكم عثماني جديد.

تزداد الحالة سوء، والحاكم الجديد لم يغير شيء بالنسبة للشعب فلا يزال يحكم لبنان رجل غريب، ولاتزال الجنود الغريبة تحتل ار اضيه مما جعل فكرة الثورة تعاود "سيف البحر"، وهو بحار هجر من بيته وتشرد، ضد الحكم القائم، وكل المحتلين، حتى خروج اخد جندي غريب عن ارض لبنان، وتحقيق الوطن المثالي الذي يحكمه شعبه.

Director's Notes

The Stars of Lebanon Theatre Company was created from a love of our culture, and that culture is a love of our Lebanon. Lebanon and its people have so much to offer. We are very proud to present to you the beauty of our culture through "The Summer of 840" by Mansour Rahbany.

We chose this play as our premier presentation to emphasize the positive aspects of our heritage. We are a rich people and this characteristic is very evident in this presentation.

The passion towards our Folklore in the "Summer of 840" helps us to identify ourselves quite definitely. The power of knowing who we are and what we are is so very important to us as a community. We hope that this presentation may remind us that we are first and foremost Lebanese and secondly we are brothers and sisters of a diverse and abundant motherland. Our past has been tainted but our future is promising - God Willing. Peace and Goodwill.

Emad Baroud
Chairperson

Production

Written & Composed by: Monsour Rahbany
Director & Light Designer: Jihad Absi
Assistant Diector: Nidal Charara
Dabke Choreographer & Stage Manager: Rada Nebhan
Set Designer: Tom Pidgeon & Jihad Absi
Vocal & Music Consultant & Costume Designer: Andre Ibrahim
Costume Relization: Maria Marushka
Sound Technician: John Dooher
Technical Manager: David Macdonell
Program: Eddy Baroud & Mirna Ghazal & Andre Ibrahim
Make up & Hair Dressers: Elie Hitti & Randa Nessrallah & Virginia Saeed
Recorded At: Baalback Studio ( Beirut ) & KA Sound (Ottawa)

Cast

Dancers

Nada El Helou, Aziz Ghazal, Ranya Absi, Claude Khalil, Roula Mouchaimich, Wadih Ibrahim, Sanaa Al Nachar, Emad Baroud, Koreen Saikaly, Tony Ibrahim, Aziza Abou Faissal, Elie Abou Faissal

Choir

Pauline Hitti, Andre Ibrahim, Silvia Tartarian, Claude Khalil, Paulette Khalil, Danny Estephan, Jeannine Tartarian, Colette Haddad, May Akl

Producers and Supporters

Stars of Lebanon - Njaim Mid-East Food Centre - Cho Brothers - Comfy Air - Cata Brands Marques Inc. - Best Linen - Bell Pharmacy - Ontario Lottery Corporation - International Travel - Guiness Import - Roland Printing - KA Sound - Gilio's Hair Design - Phil Tech Industries - Bantree Upholstry - Oegema Nicholson   Associates - Gord Hunter - Pierre Baliki - Phill Ghattas - Gerald E. Browsky - Dr. Khaled Hashem - David Pratt - Doug Collins - Pronto - Tannis Food Distributors