Radio Muezzin is a live-performed documentary about muezzins, the men who lead the Islamic call to prayer five times a day. Three ordinary muezzins describe their work and how their lives led them to it, and give examples of their chanting.

The spur for choosing this topic for a documentary came apparently from a decision of the Egyptian religious authorities to centralise Cairo muezzins - many of which are paid by the state - into a radio-transmitted service. Instead of having up to 30,000 muezzins leading the call individually from each mosque, 30 of the best would be picked and their voices would be transmitted by radio to speakers on the minarets. While this is referred to and the point of view of the muezzins is explained, it does not dominate the piece - most of it is a factual and educational account of who muezzins are and what they do. The edge is taken out by the fact that many of them will still have work as Koranic teachers and mosque caretakers, which is also part of their role. (The show originally had four muezzins, but one of them recently left the company and his story is being described in the Dublin run by an alternative performer.)

Physical presentation is straightforward. The stage is covered in the same style of carpet used in a mosque. The three muezzins face forwards in a row and tell their stories in turn, in Arabic with English surtitles. Behind them are four large video screens, which show scenes from mosques and everyday scenes from Egyptian life: traffic in the streets, people at work and the inside of the muezzins' homes. These work well as a background, although often the eye can be drawn to these screens rather than the men themselves, especially if relying on the surtitles.

The strongest part is the muezzins' descriptions of their own lives before becoming muezzins, a mixture of tough low-paid jobs, military service and personal religious piety. Their personal stories present life as lived by human beings, contrasting with the easy images of the mass of the anonymous poor, or religious fanatics. In this piece they are individuals with their own personal ambitions, preferences and cherished memories. One describes how he had always wanted a particular robe which muezzins wear, but could never afford, because it would cost him six months' wages (about €238). When he became a muezzin, he was given one free, as part of the job.

The film running behind them provides an extra richness and colour to bring this alive, with the proportion of scenes probably about evenly divided between the religious and non-religious spheres in the same proportion as the average day of a muezzin. Plenty of examples of the Adhan (the call to prayer), as well as other Koranic chanting, are provided by the muezzins in between telling their stories.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Abdelmoty Abdelsamia Ali Hindawy. Hussein Gouda Hussein Bdawy. Mansour Abdelsalam Mansour Namous. Mohamed Ali Mahmoud Farag. Sayed Abdellatif Mohamed Hammad.

Company Credits: Concept & Director - Stefan Kaegi (Rimini Protokoll). Composition & Sound Designer - Mahmoud Refat. Video Designers - Bruno Deville, Shady George Fakhry (Cairo). Dramaturg - Laila Soliman. Set Designer - Mohamed Shoukry. Lighting Designers - Sven Nichterlein, Saad Samir Hassan (Cairo). Assistant Director/Performer - Dia'Deen Helmy Hamed. Alternative Performer - Mohamed Farag Aly. Technical Directors - Sven Nichterlein, Saad Sami Hassan (Cairo). Video Operator - Bodo Gottschalk. Production Managers - Juliane Maennel, Lana Mustaqh (Cairo). Touring Support - Samah Samir, Ghada El-Sherbiny, Ramy Tawfeeq. Translation & Surtitles - Ebtihal Shedid, Bassant Hassan (Cairo). Producer - uncredited. Company - HAU Berlin. Company - Goethe-Institut Egypt. Company - Rimini Protokoll. Notes (source www.dublintheatrefestival.com 17 October 09): 'In Co-production with Athens Festival, Bonlieu Scène Nationale Annecy, Festival d'Avignon, steirischer herbst festival, Graz and Zürcher Theater Spektakel. Funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and the Department of the Mayor of Berlin - Senate Chancellery - Cultural Affairs. In cooperation with El Sawy Culturewheel, Cairo. With the support of l'ONDA.' Company - Rimini Protokoll. Website - www.rimini-protokoll.de

END

(c) Colman Higgins 2009

reviewed Saturday 10 October 2009 / 15:00 / Samuel Beckett Centre, Dublin, Ireland

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com