The Dividing City emerged as the biggest winner at the 38th Doha Theatre Festival, earning the festival’s top honour for “Best Play” along with several major awards that underscored its artistic and technical excellence.
At the closing ceremony, His Excellency the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani honoured the winners in the presence of theatre practitioners, artists and cultural figures, marking the conclusion of another edition of Qatar’s premier theatrical event.
The festival’s judging panel, comprising veteran artist Ghazi Hussein, Dr Nizar Shaqroun and artist Khalid Abdulkarim al-Hammadi, placed particular emphasis on directorial maturity, innovative scenography and the dramatic depth of the competing productions.
They singled out The Dividing City for its sophisticated visual language, cohesive artistic vision and compelling stagecraft.
The panel lauded the production’s expressive scenography, noting its ability to transform complex human and social issues into powerful symbolic imagery.
Critics and judges described the play as a mature collaborative achievement, with director Mohammed Yousef al-Mulla successfully integrating performance, design and dramatic structure into a compelling theatrical experience.
Produced by the Qatar Theatre Group, The Dividing City swept several of the festival’s top honours, winning “Best Play”, “Best Director” for Mohammed al-Mulla, “Best Script” for writer Talib al-Duwai, “Best Set Design” and “Best Actor” for Nasser Habib.
The play tells the story of a city’s ruler who is assassinated by his wife’s brothers after they fear that her unborn child will one day challenge their authority.
Blending tragedy with dark comedy, it explores themes of power, fear and the struggle for the future. Its characters serve as allegorical figures: the brothers represent different expressions of authority and self-interest, while the mother, midwife and peasant embody truth, conscience, and the ordinary citizen caught in forces beyond his control.
Meanwhile, Amina al-Wakily received the “Best Actress” award for her performance in Under the Rubble, produced by the Doha Theatre Company.
The production was one of three works competing in the festival, alongside The Black Pearl Bank by Al-Watan Theatre Company.
The festival’s accompanying intellectual seminars also highlighted the diversity of theatrical approaches showcased this year, recognising notable achievements in acting, music, scenography and dramatic interpretation.
