Starting tomorrow at Brown University, there’s a two-day program of “Urgent Witness” that includes author talks, readings, and the staging of the play “House of Games” by Nihad Sirees.
From the official announcements:
TUESDAY 12 MARCH
The Department of Literary Arts present a reading by Syrian poet and essayist Ali Ahmad Said, also known as Adonis, as part of a two day festival titled “Urgent Witness: The current situation in the Middle East from the perspectives of leading writers.” Adonis is best known for his untraditional poetry and experimentation with themes relating to exodus and transformation. A discussion will follow the reading. This event begins at 8 p.m. in MacMillan Hall, 167 Thayer St., Starr Auditorium.
WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH
Poetics without Borders: Communicating Sensibility in Times of Change
The Department of Literary Arts present a panel discussion featuring numerous acclaimed Syrian and Iranian writers. The seminar titled “Poetics without Borders: Communicating Sensibility in Times of Change” is part of a two-day Middle Eastern writers festival called Urgent Witnes: The current situation in the Middle East from the perspectives of leading writers. Panelists include Adonis, Robyn Creswell, Mehrangiz Kar, Shahriar Mandanipour, and Nihad Sirees. This event begins at 3 p.m. in the McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown St.
The International Writers Project and Department of Literary Arts present “House of Games,” a staged reading of a play by Syrian novelist Nihad Sirees, directed by Erik Ehn. Sirees is Brown’s current IWP fellow and honoree of Urgent Witness: The current situation in the Middle East from the perspective of leading writers. The play will feature John Emigh, professor emeritus, and members of the Brown/Trinity Consortium Acting Company. Free and open to the public, the event begins at 7:30 p.m. in the McCormack Family Theater, 70 Brown St.
Thanks to Alex Dueben for originally letting me know about the “Urgent Witness” program at Brown University, March 12-13, and to Nihad Sirees for reminding me that it’s tomorrow already and I forgot to run my announcement.
Update – Also at Brown on March 12:
I now see on Elias Muhanna’s site — I mean Qifa Nabki’s — that he is speaking at Brown on March 12 as part of “Poetic Forces: Creative Change In and Beyond the Arab Spring”:
