An Evening's Entertainment for the Fifth of June by Sa'dallah Wannous

Review by Zach Willis

The short:

A riveting play even in simply reading, An Evening's Entertainment for the Fifth of June is an unapologetically political piece that attempts to come to terms with the Arab defeat in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

The long:

A once ardent Nasserite, Wannous expertly uses the medium of theater to deride the perceived failings of the Arab nationalist governments of the late 1960s. A story very much rooted in a time and place, Wannous sought to bring theater beyond that stage, integrating the audience into the show in hopes that activism within the theater would spill over into society at large. Despite its importance, this piece has only recently been translated into English, allowing a new body of readers to become acquainted with Wannous and his unique take on politicizing theater. 

The read or not to read:

Read but do a little background reading first. This piece was written for an audience that was intimately aware of both the events of 1967 and the Arab governments of the time. Without some knowledge of this historical context, a reader is likely to get lost in Wannous’ unconventional form of storytelling. However, with the proper background, the play gives a unique insight into this period of history and how Arab artists mobilized their craft to political ends.