In 2005, a group of Afghan actors endeavored to create an unusual
dramatic performance--one that would bring theater to a region
wounded after years of war with the Taliban and offer hope for
healing. "A Night in the Emperor's Garden" is the captivating
account of their resulting play and a rich exploration of the
region's culture. In preparation, for five months, the group
tirelessly reworked Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" into their
own Dari language while the members brought their own experiences
to the interpretation. One actor was a police detective and widow
determined to create images of strong women. Another had trained at
Kabul University before fleeing to Pakistan as a refugee. A third
had played the title role in the acclaimed film "Osama," yet was a
beggar who could barely read and write. Joined by a French actress
who served as director and several other enthusiasts, these actors
performed before royalty and street vendors alike for one night
amid the ruins of a magnificent garden laid out five centuries
earlier by Emperor Babur. For the first time in thirty years, men
and women stood on stage together as they worked toward a new era
in Afghanistan. Qais Akbar Omar and Stephen Landrigan, both
involved in the production, have captured its exuberance and
optimism along with the actors' joys and sorrows in the decade
following the play. Revealing a side of Afghanistan largely unknown
to outsiders, "A Night in the Emperor's Garden" tells the magical
story of an artistic achievement with universal appeal.
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