Modern Arabic Drama: An Anthology

Translations of twelve popular Arabic plays written and produced during the past thirty years introduce English readers to the vibrant theater scene of the Arab world. The plays--from Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Tunisia--reflect a variety of dramatic trends and styles and provide insights into contemporary social, cultural, and political currents. This well-prepared anthology represents a unique contribution to the study of world drama and modern Middle Eastern culture.

Playwrights include Yusuf al-Ani, Abd al-Aziz al-Surayii, the Balalin Company of Jerusalem, Izz al-Din al-Madani, Mahmud Diyab, Alfred Farag, Walid Ikhlasi, Isam Mahfuz, Salah Abd al-Sabur, Ali Salim, Mamduh Udwan, and Sadallah Wannus.

SALMA KHADRA JAYYUSI, Palestinian poet, critic, and scholar, is founder and director of PROTA (Project of Translation from Arabic). She is the editor of Modern Arabic Poetry, The Literature of Modern Arabia, Anthology of Modern Palestinian Literature, and The Legacy of Muslim Spain.

Roger Allen is Professor of Arabic at the University of Pennsylvania. His books include The Arabic Novel: An Historical and Critical Introduction and Modern Arabic Literature.