Wael Ali is a leading Syrian writer, dramaturg and director, based in Lyon whose work has been shown internationally. We spoke to him about Under a Low Sky, which will play at the Gate between 8 – 10 July.

Can you tell us a bit about Under a Low Sky?

Under A Low Sky attempts to tell two stories simultaneously.

On one side is the history of Jamal, a Syrian cinematographer who lives in France. Upon reaching 40 years of age, he reflects on his life, and particularly on the last decade. Across this story, I interrogate the position of the artist in exile and reflect upon art – particularly theatre – that is made during war and outside the country.

On the other side, there is the passion of Jamal for the birth of cinema and for the silent films of this era. There is also his obsession for the colonial archives that take us back to the birth of Syria as we know it today, since the First World War.

This show attempts to co-exist across two registers of writing. One is completely personal, and the other is founded in history and archive documents.

Where did the inspiration for the show come from?

It’s based on a persistent question for me, a question about the theatre which I try to make in a paradoxical situation. I make theatre here, in Europe, whilst my own country – and the whole of the region as well – is ravaged by extremely violent and rapid changes. How do you make theatre in this situation?

It obliges us to ask ourselves all sorts of questions about theatre itself, its relationship with the public, the context in which the show is seen and interpreted, etc.

Under A Low Sky begins with the memory of an old conversation with Jamal from a few years ago. In response to all of these questions, he said to me : ‘Why not wait until the end of the war to continue our artistic journey?!‘

This proposition to wait until the end of the war, which seemed an absurd proposition in our situation, seemed to me to be a good starting point for a show.

Can you tell us a bit about your devising process?

The first text that I wrote responded to a certain number of constraints. The most important constraint for Under a Low Sky was to make two time periods co-exist in the same space. It was also necessary to make co-exist a multitude of perspectives which are all directed, ultimately, at the same object: this distant territory which presents itself with the advance of history as an object in flight, like a question burst open.

After the first rehearsals, I arrived at a second version of the text, produced from collective work on the set. With this text we continue to move forward as if pursuing a search in the space we have created for our story and its challenges. A search that continues until the performance before the public.

In Under a Low Sky, to perform this exploded story, there are two actors, Sharif Andoura and Nanda Mohammad. They perform in two languages, Arabic and French. Each comes with a different background and course, and a different relationship with the two languages and with theatre as well. We see them create this story and reinvent it in front of us, all whilst interrogating their own relationship, their relationship with the performer absent from the stage, etc… So for the scenic design for Under a Low Sky, it was necessary to create a space for experimentation and the participation of the performers. In my work generally, I’ve become attached to the idea of theatre as a collective creation – and I don’t like having too much confidence in the  unique view of the writer-director on stage.

What does it mean to you to be presenting your show here?

As this is my first time in the UK, I have many expectations and questions. I will see the city and the theatre, and I will rediscover the piece with another public – I don’t know what will happen, I will see! But I’m happy to present the piece in London in the frame of Shubbak Festival, and in the Gate Theatre.

How did you get into theatre?

By accident. I didn’t want to go to University, and I came to discover that there was a dramatic arts school in Damascus, so I applied to this school.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those wanting to make theatre?

I cannot give any advice to anyone! I’m only just starting out in this job too.

Why should everyone see Under a Low Sky?

It’s a good piece of theatre!

This interview has been translated from the original French. Read it in French here.

Under a Low Sky will be playing at the Gate Theatre between 8 – 10 July 2019 at 9pm. Book tickets here.