'Theater must revolt'

At the 33rd World Congress of the International Theatre Institute in Xiamen, China, last month, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi (world-renowned playwright, Ruler of the emirate of Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates, and one of the wealthiest persons in the world) delivered one of the best speeches I have heard in my life. I wish to share the speech with my readers, not only for those that love theater, but also for those that do not. This is the English translation of the speech.

“There is no need to reiterate that there is a close relationship between the theatre and the society where the former is an expression of the latter’s life and development over the ages.

“There is also no doubt that we are living in an age where the culture of antagonism and hatred reigns supreme in a way that poses a real threat to the survival of humanity. The clash between the various faiths, cultures and races, and the gradual erosion of the spirit of tolerance, acceptance of the other and the desire for coexistence are real dangers that humanity at large encounters and is forced to deal with. We are also threatened by policies aiming at instigating troubles and gruesome wars. However, it seems that the most serious threat of all is the one posed by the power of money whose possessors are indifferent to using it to subjugate the peoples and lead them to starvation, conflicts and wars. The result is the creation of a new kind of servitude and slavery, as well as the environmental hazards resulting from such wars which threaten our very existence on this planet.

“We are in desperate need today of a new kind of theatre – one that contributes effectively to the creation of a new ‘humanity’ where the human being is truly the focus of the attention of the rulers of the world. As a matter of fact, it will not be an exaggeration to call for the establishment of a new human civilization that is based on a symbiotic system of global solidarity.

“We need a strong theatre that is rebellious – one that would act as a formidable catalyst to invigorate the state of the mind, stir up our inner conflicts, and unleash, by both symbolic and direct means, effective powerful forces and opportunities for resolution. The theatre is there to collectively cure us from our abscesses, as the genius playwright and theatre director Antonin Artaud (1896-1948) used to say.

“Similarly, I would like to state, here and now, that ‘the theatre must get angry about and revolt against the existing conditions.’

“Distinguished guests, theatre specialists and fans: I have always borne the interests of the theatre in mind and shouldered its burdens, and I vow to continue to do so for as long as I live. So, if I do wrong, guide me right; if my resolve weakens, provide me with your assistance; and when I depart from this world, write in my memory: ‘He was a man who adored the theatre.’”

His Highness was given a Gold Medal by the International Theatre Institute. Earlier, in 2007, he was singled out to give the World Theatre Day Message, an honor given only to the best and most respected theatre artists in the world. I wish that all rulers would follow his example. We need not only philosopher-kings (and those we hardly ever get nowadays anywhere in the world), but also heads of state who are theater artists.

THANK YOU. For being extra nice to me during my Executive Check-up recently at the St. Luke’s Medical Center Global, I wish to thank the following nurses: Venus Runas, Brent Barlongay, and Czarina Castro. I also wish to thank my regular doctors, who are all very patient with me, a notoriously disobedient patient: Juliet Cervantes, Vincent Valencia, and Rosa Ong.

TEACHING TIPS OF THE WEEK. Here are some teaching tips from Ohio University:

“Print three PowerPoint slides per page with lines to the right for notes.

“All of us are probably familiar with the phrase, ‘Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.’ The first few minutes of a presentation are very important. You are helping the student establish a mental framework or a context.

“The Three Person Teach: The Three Person Teach refers to a teaching strategy in which the teacher explains something to the class and then the students work in pairs to teach that same content to each other. For example the instructor might explain the process of mitosis to the class. The instructor then asks the students to pair up and explain mitosis to each other. We learn something better by teaching it to someone else. As a student explains something to another student, he often discovers that he doesn’t understand something as well as he thought.

“Avoid the ‘NBA syndrome’: In the NBA, only the last two minutes count. Unfortunately, by that time, audience attention [during a class] has wandered and the last few minutes often have no impact.

“Public speaking is a form of entertainment.

“Periodically summarize during a presentation.

“Tell the learners where you are going.”