Walid Arakji, Zeina Makki, Rodrigue Sleiman, and Joëlle Mansour, the four actors from "Kezbeh bil Sanieh" by Ziad Najjar and Walid Arakji. (Credit: DR)
How do you stage a couples' comedy without recycling the tired clichés of boulevard theater? It's no simple task. Perhaps that's why Ziad Najjar and Walid Arakji teamed up to try it, placing the plot of their satirical play in a contemporary Lebanese setting. In "Kezbeh bil Sanieh" —meaning both “Baked Lie” and a nod to the classic Lebanese dish kebbeh bil saniyeh (tray-baked Kebbeh) — the co-authors (Najjar also directs, Arakji produces) invite the Monnot Theatre audience to a dinner where Lebanon’s national dish is served on the "Kezbeh" table.The plotMaya (Zeina Makki) is preparing a romantic surprise dinner for her husband, Nadim (Rodrigue Sleiman), when a call from Lynn (Joëlle Mansour), an old friend, changes her plans. Lynn, based in Dubai, is in Beirut for a visit with her new boyfriend, Dany...
How do you stage a couples' comedy without recycling the tired clichés of boulevard theater? It's no simple task. Perhaps that's why Ziad Najjar and Walid Arakji teamed up to try it, placing the plot of their satirical play in a contemporary Lebanese setting. In "Kezbeh bil Sanieh" —meaning both “Baked Lie” and a nod to the classic Lebanese dish kebbeh bil saniyeh (tray-baked Kebbeh) — the co-authors (Najjar also directs, Arakji produces) invite the Monnot Theatre audience to a dinner where Lebanon’s national dish is served on the "Kezbeh" table.The plotMaya (Zeina Makki) is preparing a romantic surprise dinner for her husband, Nadim (Rodrigue Sleiman), when a call from Lynn (Joëlle Mansour), an old friend, changes her plans. Lynn, based in Dubai, is in Beirut for a visit with her new...
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