[ Gerald Wynne-Rushton. ] Typed copy of paper titled 'Some Suggestions towards the Creation of an Arab Drama', putting forward ideas after 'much pondering of the means by which a National Arab Drama could be created'.

Author: 
[ Gerald Wynne-Rushton [ Gerald Wynne Rushton ] (b.1894), Catholic writer and orientalist; Aghabab Advertising & Publicity Bureau, Baghdad, Iraq ]
Publication details: 
Without place or date. [Aghabab Advertising & Publicity Bureau, Baghdad, Iraq; 1950s.]
£150.00
SKU: 16417

7 + [1]pp., 4to. Carbon. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with punch holes at margin and creasing to final leaf. The seven pages of the paper are followed by an eighth page headed 'Music'. Written in the late 1950s, when Wynne-Rushton was advertising manager at the Aghabab Advertising & Publicity Bureau, Baghdad, and with particular reference to Iraq. The first paragraph reads: 'The following ideas are put forward after much pondering of the means by which a National Arab Drama could be created. On long consideration, it seemed to me, I was - in this particular matter - trying to run before I could walk. Therefore, I said to myself - start at the point where you crawl; start in the Bazaar. So I started in the Bazaar. And please, remember that where I got any idea of mine at all, as to the dramatic possibilities of the Arabs - it was in the Bazaar. The hours I have sat and watched Arab story tellers have all contributed to this letter - even though I did not understand a single word they said. So let us begin at the beginning.' Wynne-Rushton proceeds to discuss the possibility of a competition among members of 'the story teller as a class - who are the drama, players, and scenery in one, heretofore of Islam'. He then turns to 'talks on plays - and then a Play Reading Society'. He discusses what this might mean, 'as far as Iraq is concerned', with sections on Iraq plays', 'plays in Egyptian Arabic' and 'plays specially written'. He also sets out a plan for a 'Propaganda Campaign specially designed to awaken interest', with reference to the young, as well as 'radio talks, cinema documentary films, Press articles, and Literature'.