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Shubbak: Mette Loulou von Kohl & Dima Mikhayel Matta

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IN DEVELOPMENT: TWO BOLD WORKS ON QUEERNESS

NO ONE LIKES AN UGLY REVOLUTIONARY
Mette Loulou von Kohl

With frank honesty Palestinian/Danish/US-based artist Mette Loulou von Kohl delves into her infatuation with Palestinian freedom fighter, hijacker and icon Leila Khaled. Alternating between reverence and fetish, and grappling with her own position on racism, orientalism, sexuality and lineage of resistance and activism, No One Likes An Ugly Revolutionary becomes a cauldron of conflicting forces – yet told with disarming charm and poignant irony.

THIS IS NOT A MEMORIZED SCRIPT, THIS IS A WELL-REHEARSED STORY
Dima Mikhayel Matta

‘Yesterday, I woke up with the certainty that holding hands with the woman I love in Beirut is revolutionary.’

The body is the city. The city is the body. Dima Mikhayel Matta draws a powerful picture of her queer existence in relation to Beirut. Remembering past and current relationships, childhood memories and confronting prejudice head-on, Matta’s pithy text accuses, moves and reflects in equal measure. Dima Mikhayel Matta is a writer, professor, actor and spoken word artist. In 2014 she founded the popular storytelling initiative Cliffhangers.

Presented with additional support from Arab fund for Arts and Culture, British Council, Cockayne Grants for the Arts and London Community Foundation.

 

We spoke to Dima Mikhayel Matta about This is Not a Memorized Script, This is a Well-Rehearsed Story - read the interview here

 

Why not double up your evening? After the performance on 4 July, Mette Loulou von Kohl and Dima Mikhayel Matta will be joined by drag artist The Nightbus (Shaz Blakefield) and writer, performer director and drag artist Amrou Al-Khadi for a panel on queerness in performance by an incredible group of Arab artists in our Gate Late: Shubbak: Queer Voices in Arab Performance

Image L-R: Joseph Maalouf & Lippe

 

Please note: No One Likes An Ugly Revolutionary contains a description of a violent act inflicted on the body that may be distressing for some viewers.

This Is Not A  Memorized Script, This Is A Well-Rehearsed Story contains references to violence, abuse and mental health in war.

This production contains flashing lights.

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Thursday 4 July
In English

This Is Not A Memorized Script, This Is A Well-Rehearsed Story: running time 30 mins

No One Likes An Ugly Revolutionary: running time 40 mins

Cast & CREATIVES

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Dima matta
Dima Mikhayel Matta
Dima Mikhayel Matta is a university instructor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Balamand, a writer, and an actress. She received a Fulbright scholarship and completed her MFA in creative writing at Rutgers University in 2013. She has been acting for the stage since 2006. In 2014, she founded Cliffhangers, the first bilingual storytelling platform in Lebanon, and hosts monthly storytelling events along with parallel events such as storytelling workshops and performances. Cliffhangers is a non-profit initiative that aims to give a platform for marginalized voices and serves as a safe space for people to share their stories. In May 2018, she curated the first LGBTQ+ art exhibition in Lebanon, titled Love Letters to Meem. She is currently working on her first play.
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Mette Loulou von Kohl
Mette Loulou von Kohl was born from the orange at the center before the new world came.  She is a performer and a wanderer. Currently based in New York City, Mette Loulou is a mixed, queer femme, born to a Lebanese/Palestinian mother and Danish father. Mette Loulou is fascinated by the intersection between her embodied identities as a jumping off point to reveal, dismantle and conjure realities and dreams. She exists in two places at once. Mette Loulou is current Jerome Foundation AIRspace Resident with Abrons Art Center in New York City and a graduate of the Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics, EmergeNYC performers program. She recently completed her Masters in Applied Theatre at Goldsmiths College and holds a Bachelors in Theatre from Bard College.
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Presented with additional support from Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, British Council, Cockayne Grants for the Arts and London Community Foundation.

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IN DEVELOPMENT: TWO BOLD WORKS ON QUEERNESS

NO ONE LIKES AN UGLY REVOLUTIONARY
Mette Loulou von Kohl

With frank honesty Palestinian/Danish/US-based artist Mette Loulou von Kohl delves into her infatuation with Palestinian freedom fighter, hijacker and icon Leila Khaled. Alternating between reverence and fetish, and grappling with her own position on racism, orientalism, sexuality and lineage of resistance and activism, No One Likes An Ugly Revolutionary becomes a cauldron of conflicting forces – yet told with disarming charm and poignant irony.

THIS IS NOT A MEMORIZED SCRIPT, THIS IS A WELL-REHEARSED STORY
Dima Mikhayel Matta

‘Yesterday, I woke up with the certainty that holding hands with the woman I love in Beirut is revolutionary.’

The body is the city. The city is the body. Dima Mikhayel Matta draws a powerful picture of her queer existence in relation to Beirut. Remembering past and current relationships, childhood memories and confronting prejudice head-on, Matta’s pithy text accuses, moves and reflects in equal measure. Dima Mikhayel Matta is a writer, professor, actor and spoken word artist. In 2014 she founded the popular storytelling initiative Cliffhangers.

Presented with additional support from Arab fund for Arts and Culture, British Council, Cockayne Grants for the Arts and London Community Foundation.

 

We spoke to Dima Mikhayel Matta about This is Not a Memorized Script, This is a Well-Rehearsed Story – read the interview here

 

Why not double up your evening? After the performance on 4 July, Mette Loulou von Kohl and Dima Mikhayel Matta will be joined by drag artist The Nightbus (Shaz Blakefield) and writer, performer director and drag artist Amrou Al-Khadi for a panel on queerness in performance by an incredible group of Arab artists in our Gate Late: Shubbak: Queer Voices in Arab Performance

Image L-R: Joseph Maalouf & Lippe

 

The Gate Theatre Company is a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales No. 1495543 – Charity No. 280278