Peace Performance: An Interview with Theatre Director Samiha Abdul Muni’em 

Theatre director Samiha Abdul Muni’em talks with Voices of Darfur about her past productions and her current work, and shares her thoughts on the impact of theatre drama on the peace process.

BY ALA MAYYAHI

Ms. Samiha Abdul Muni’em, born in El Fasher in 1990, comes from a family that appreciates art. Her father is an architect and her uncle, Mr. Abdul Qader Abu Baker, is a well-known local artist.

Ms. Muni’em studied Theatre Arts in Khartoum at the University of Sudan, where she graduated in 2011. By the time she left the university system, she had already achieved a respectable portfolio of productions. Today, she is continuing her pursuit of becoming a renowned Darfuri theatre director.

Ms. Muni’em sat down with Voices of Darfur and talked about her hope for the future of Darfur and how she shapes her plays against a backdrop of critical social issues. In the interview, Ms. Muni’em shared her thoughts about her previous productions and her current work, and discussed the impact of theatre drama on the peace process.

Voices of Darfur: Tell us about the plays you have directed and produced so far. What were they about and where did you present them?

Muni’em: I have produced three plays after graduating from the University of Sudan. The first one was titled “Between Civilization and Barbarism.” In it, I addressed some issues in Darfur, such as tribal conflict, street children, education and violence against women. It was presented in El Fasher for the first in the cultural centre, then in the Adhma Avenue on the occasion of National Independence Day. I also presented it in Al Salam camp for displaced people in North Darfur, where large audience attended. Actually, the number of attendees in the camp was more than I expected.

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Read the full interview in the November issue of Voices of Darfur. Download the magazine (PDF) here.