KOZHIKODE: The recent violence in Palestine and the people’s craving for freedom have found a voice in poems and stories. In Kerala, various organisations poured onto the streets in protest after the fresh bout of war in West Asia.
The developments inspired an artist in Thrissur to capture the emotions in the form of a drama. ‘Gazza’, a new play by Abbas Kalathode, is in the works and will be ready by the end of this month. Its first staging will be at the Al Jamia, Shanthapuram in Malappuram as part of the institute’s convocation ceremony.
“The central character is a woman Sumaiyya Bathool, an imaginary figure who represents the fighting vigour of Palestinian women,” explained Abbas. Several media platforms have shown images of wailing women in Palestine, but there are women who showed heroism and courage, said Abbas.
“Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, was the first woman to hijack an aeroplane. There are several unsung female figures like Leila,” he said. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas founder leader Sheikh Yassin and current spokesperson Abu Ubaida also appear as characters in the play, as are the Al Qassam Brigade members and Israeli soldiers, said Abbas.
“The backdrop will be a video wall where visuals of actual incidents taking place in the region will be played as per the situation,” Abbas said. “PLO leader Yassar Arafat is referred to as Amir in the play. There were no differences of opinion between him and Sheikh Yassin as projected by the western media,” he said. As culmination of her heroic fight, Sumaiyya blows herself up in Tel Aviv.
“There are actual fighters who did such things. My inspiration for the play comes from such incidents,” he said. Malabar Kala Samithi, which has been in the field for the past three decades, will handle the performance.