Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 19, 2007|Volume 36, Number 7

‘The Veiled Monologues’ offers a
look at the lives of Muslim women

“The Veiled Monologues,” a portrait of love and relationships under Islam that was inspired after its creator, Dutch theater artist Adelheid Roosen, acted in Eve Ensler’s Obie Award-winning “The Vagina Monologues,” will be presented by the Yale Repertory Theatre and The World Performance Project at Yale (WPP) Tuesday-Saturday, Oct. 23-27.

Roosen, who will also direct the performance, transformed her conversations about sexuality with Muslim women living in the Netherlands into a series of monologues performed in English by three actresses of Muslim descent. Each emotional and detailed monologue provides a glimpse into the women’s innermost self. The play blends live music performed by a female musician on the saz, a lute-like instrument from Turkey, with dance and film projects.

Performances will take place at 8 p.m. each evening, with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Oct. 27. All performances will be at the New Theater, 1156 Chapel St. There will be discussions after the shows on Oct. 23, Oct. 24 and the matinee on Oct. 27. Single tickets range from $20 to $48, with group discounts available. For tickets, visit yalerep.org/wpp or call (203) 432-1234.

Since its premiere in the Netherlands in 2001, “The Veiled Monologues” has been performed at a national convention of Holland’s law enforcement agencies and at the Dutch parliament, in a nationally televised event, during the height of one of the debates on constitutional rights regarding religious minorities in the Netherlands.

Roosen is a writer, actor and director in Holland. In 2002 she played Portia in Toneelgroep Amsterdam’s production of “The Merchant of Venice,” directed by the Syrian-Dutch director Ola Mufaalani. Two years later she worked with Mufaalani again in her production of “Romeo and Juliet.” In 2005 she initiated the “Zina Platform,” for which Roosen serves as editor-in-chief, providing opportunities for Arabian, Turkish and Kurdish artists to express themselves. Roosen has produced a number of television performances and documentaries, including “Vara’s Nachtshow” and “Dolle Zina,” which portrays five Muslim women living in Holland. Since 1986 Roosen has been adviser of the Artistic Council and a lecturer of performing arts at the Amsterdam Theatre School. In 2006 she became a mentor at Das Arts.

The production features Oya Campelle, Nazmiye Oral and Meral Polat presenting monologues. Also involved are set designer (with Roosen) Mijke de Jong; lighting designers Gelddof Verhaart and Dan Ottolander; video editing by Titus Tiel Groenestege; music design by Sevel Okyay and Sercan Egin.

In his review of “The Veiled Monologues,” Thomas Sellar, editor of Theater magazine, called the production “a magnificent demonstration of the power of theater to change the terms of public debate. The monologues make visible — live, in real time, in close physical proximity — women, emotions and beliefs that are hidden from the non-Muslim world.”

Sellar will moderate a symposium on Thursday, Oct. 25, on the topic “Cultural Dislocation, Universal Human Rights and Theater.” It will take place 4:30-6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. The symposium will examine the ethical, political and artistic issues raised in the play, including the legal responsibilities governments have to its immigrant citizens. The event is free and open to the public.

The WPP promotes programs in performance studies across departments at Yale. The project also presents performances, workshops and lectures by artists and scholars working in dance, theater, music, performance art and cultural performance, and it assists and collaborates with departments and programs throughout the University seeking to enhance their curriculum through live performance.

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