Megaphone by Sara Shaarawi

March 8 2017

Megaphone, a new crowdfunded residency t

Sara Shaarawi came to Scotland to study and it was her first venture abroad and the first time living alone.

She found Edinburgh cold, windy and rainy regretting having had left her Egypt

However she found the lovely world of theatre that exists in Scotland

More than anything she loved the art of story telling and its narrative

She then loved to learn about the many languages in Scotland

She learned that as in the Northern Ireland here language was a political instrument.

A Scottish theatre here although within the United Kingdom was also outwith and lacked legitimacy.

It was here she could identify with how the Scottish theatre was struggling to regain it's own Scottish culture and it's own Scottish identity and with that she decided to write her own plays here in Scotland

Scottish Theatre as will other aspects of Scotland could be greater if it increased its diversity

Instead Scottish theatre is now more looking back rather than creating new works.

Mostly those of Scotlands great theatre past is that of a White Male.

Most of Scotland today however is a diverse of people and race.

She believes that Scottish theatre does not reflect the changes in Scottish life and society and would love to do that on the Scottish stage.

She believes that Scotland is an internationalist inclusive country where it is possible to have a complex, vibrant nonhomogenous identity expressed on theatre as a reality beyond a political rhetoric.

The theatre in Scotland can act as a haven for those who suffer.

She fears for this Scottish society that is forced to leave the European Union.

Where the English Media promotes angst, hatred and xenophobia.

The Scottish theatre can provide resources and a platform to remedy.

That is why she created Megaphone, a new crowdfunded residency that will support an artist with the hope of producing the work

She believes that the theatre in Scotland need more diversity on the the stage The Kickstarter funding will literally kickstart the project; the Workers Theatre – a new Theatre Cooperative in Scotland –

She would like the successful artists to have the opportunity to succeed.

She is not asking money in the usual places because they are institualised

but she feels that if it is that important for Scotland theatre it should come from the grassroots and make it a successful project.

She has a trust in Scotland to make this happen and there is a curiosity within many that it would like it to succeed and would love to see the effect upon the stage .

She is exited that there will be a community established that would add to the colour and vibrancy of the Scottish theatre