Scenographic Elements in the Play The Great Encounter

Abstract

This study investigates the scenographic elements employed in the theatrical performance The Great Encounter, which articulated the theme of tolerance and peace against the backdrop of war. The performance gained particular significance for merging two short plays by Ali Ahmad Bakatheer (d. 1969), reimagined in an experimental vision by playwright and director Ali Ahmad Yafiʿi, and staged on December 10, 2018, at the Hafon Theatre in Aden. The analysis highlights the major scenographic components of the production: the interplay between text and performance in terms of writing, meaning, staging, and adaptation; the scenographic space shaped by stage design, perspective, and collage techniques; lighting and sound as central auditory and visual devices; and finally, the role of actors and costumes as interrelated material elements laden with semiotic significance. The findings demonstrate that, despite limited material resources, the performance effectively mobilized available scenographic components within an experimental aesthetic, integrating visual and auditory elements in ways that enriched the semiotic depth of the staging and reinforced its core message affirming the values of tolerance and peace.