The Playwrights Database
TAREK HASSAN (1937 - )
Nationality: Egyptianemail: Click here to contact Website: Click here
Literary Agent: n/a
Tarek Hassan is amedical doctor highly committed to music and Drama from an early age. First came to the UK in 1962 for postgraduate studies in medicine and in music. Became deeply involved with student and University Drama at London University and at LSE. Performed with the student Drama societies locally, in London and at the Edinburgh Festival of music and Drama fringe (1968) his first post verbal plays contratype 1 and contratype 3 were very well received and reviewed by the Scotsman and the Scottish Daily Mail at the time. Student Drama in London took up his full-length play "the prison" which they performed at ULU getting an enthusiastic reception. David Cain of the BBC electronic workshop developed the electronic music tape for "the prison" as well as setting to electronic music a Dramatic poem composed on the mass by Tarek Hassan. His semi-abstract play "the thing" where he uses verbalised pulses and rhythms instead of intellectual dialogue was received with great success in Durham and in London festivals of student Drama. Since marriage to a UK born musician Tarek Hassan has become progressively more aware and well versed in understanding of Western culture as well as of Eastern Islamic culture from where he originates. He is well equipped to bridge and to pin point receptors for mutual understanding across the tragic gulf between East and West and between the West and Islam in general. To someone looking for intellectual dialogue in a theatre play his plays may seem completely incomprehensible, but if the music and the rhythmic and the pulsating is sensed then the powerful impact these semi-abstract symbolic, contemplative and sometimes "musical" Theatre of the absurd plays, come to life. all these plays lend themselves best to live performance and/or to multimedia moving pictures. Since the success of the "matrix" films and themes, it would seem that the Tarek Hassan plays at last have a place in transmitting something to the new human consciousness and to the sorely needed reverence for a new concept of life as a multi dimensional interactive model and not as a preprogrammed mechanized "intellectual" automaton.
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below is a list of Tarek Hassan's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Chocolate Contratype Da Capo Prison, The Thing, TheChocolate
Synopsis:
a symbolic translation of post socialisation post civilisation status of materialistic consumerist human society entirely in the great of mass media manipulation of consciousness and conceptual framework into it introduces in the last third a poignant mirror image Theatre concept where all the protagonists are shouting on both sides of the Mirror: Our cause is right and we shall fight! The absurdity of this common mirror image stance embodies insight on some of the most terrible tragedies of wars in our recent times very suitable for multimedia filming.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
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Organisations:
LSE students at Drama soc
1st Published:
Privately printed and distributed -
Music:
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Genre:
Social comment in the group Drama and mirror image Theatre
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageContratype
Synopsis:
it is a nun verbal poem about light and the birth of consciousness as well as a compression of human evolution from consciousness to competition to aggression to love to life love and to abrogation of life and of love into mechanisation to break down point predicting the impossibility of mechanisation pure rational socialization and the eventual destruction of life and environment. They play texts is in the form of a sign of since and lighting as well as musical directions. a lot of improvisation by the participants took place but there was always the coherent framework based on the norm in sonata form structure of the classical Symphony first movement.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
LSE Theatre 1968
Organisations:
LSE and London University Drama Society
1st Published:
Privately printed by students and distributed, Late 60s early 70s -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Post-verbal
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: variable
Further Reference:
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Top of PageDa Capo
Synopsis:
another post verbal Drama exploring the relation between life and the a priori rigid laws translating that into a form of crucifixion of soft pulsating life over their hard fixed in Mobile cross. Free use of light, sound, light show and multimedia in general
Notes:
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1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
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1st Published:
- -
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Recurring Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PagePrison, The
Synopsis:
this is perceived as the Drama of conscious life, with consciousness comes curiosity, in defiance and deviation which punishment and conditioning and reconditioning is essential. a progressive enactment of a perenial Drama seen as possibly that of Osiris or Jesus or in the end of every man. Some find the parts long winded and too verbiose without quite realising that the format is musical and contemplative and the performance intended to be open ended and interactive so that the "speeches" can become longer or shorter according to the interactive environment created by the performance.
Notes:
reprinted with the introduction As Forbidden passion Drama of Osiris
1st Produced:
University of London union Theatre 1969
Organisations:
London University and LSE students
1st Published:
Private printing and distribution -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
perenial Drama
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 1 Other: extras
Further Reference:
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Top of PageThing, The
Synopsis:
The poet travels via a series of short verses and contemplations over the essence of meaning in personal and social life and working towards the climax when: a barren tree walks to the mountains of books and laments: I once knew the thing; I Blossomed but I forgot or I am afraid respect my weakness please let me read or write or perchance FIGHT for the thing"
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Durham University Theatre 1969
Organisations:
LSE and London University students
1st Published:
Dr its printing and distribution -
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
Post verbal samey verbal concept play
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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