Famous Saudi Arabian academic, producer, and actress, Maisah Sobaihi, shares insight about performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
How did it feel to make history as the first Saudi Arabian actress to perform at the 66-year-old event?
There was a great sense of achievement, as I have been building up to go to this very important festival for many years. I also felt responsible, because I was the first; I wanted to make an impression. I wanted people to appreciate the production itself, not just the fact that I was an Arab Woman. I was happy to hear that some members of the audience were very happy with the production quality.
With the lives of Saudi Arabian women as the subject matter for your play “Head Over Heals” what moved you to choose marriage and divorce as the main topics addressed?
Experience moved me to write about these topics. I was both married and later divorced, and many women around me were in the same situation, so usually one writes about matters they feel connected to.
Are you performing this play anywhere in the Arab world?
I hope to perform in the Arab world soon. I have been invited to perform in Jordan and Beirut, so we are in the process of looking at those possibilities. Of course, I also want to take the play back to it’s birthplace, Saudi Arabia. That is where the first ever performance of Head over Heels in Saudi Arabia took place.
For more info – http://maisahsobaihi.com
