‘Mille et une Rose’ (A Thousand and One Roses) didn’t win ‘best work for children’ in Prague in vain (International Festival for Puppet Theatre, 2005). Written and directed by Karim Dakroub, founder of the Lebanese Puppet Theatre, the play is a delight for the imagination; the story of a little seed who wants to grow up to be a beautiful, fragrant and colourful rose, just like her mother.
The poetry of the performance was not lost on the audience, mostly comprised of kids, who watched the story unfold in amazement and interacted throughout, as the play moved through the fourseasons, touching sensitively on issues such as maturity and the different stages of life.

The piece draws on elements of art history using the colours and forms of the Impressionist era to represent each of the four seasons. You’ll feel happily lost during animations inspired by great artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. The arresting visuals were supplemented by a rich musical score; a classical music repertoire as well as Eastern melodies composed by Ahmad Kaabour. The combination creates a great ambiance that can be enjoyed by both young and old. And the narrative arc is sure to bring a festive smile to all, as you watch the seed become a mother herself, and the cycle of life complete itself once again. A must-see this festive season.

'Mille et Une Roses' will run every Sat, 4pm at The Sunflower Theatre. Played in Arabic (also available in French and English).
For more info, call 71 997359.

Written by Danielle El Chemaly