Lebanese actress Christine Choueiri has an attractive presence that attracts her viewers during her participation in a dramatic work. Her acting performance has its own identity and places her in the ranks of drama stars. She participated in “An Eye for an Eye,” “A Heart Accident,” “The Bride of Beirut 2,” and finally in the series “Amber 6.” She had several appearances in Lebanese cinematic films, such as “Ghadi” and “Case No. 23.”
Today, Choueiri is preparing to enter a new experience. After her absence, she presents the theatrical work “Tanan Tanan” on the “Mono” stage in Beirut, with Patrick Chemali, and it is directed by Zalfa Shalhat.
Choueiri previously performed a theatrical work, entitled “Makatab,” in 2012. She describes her return today as if she were standing on stage for the first time. Excited and excited about this work, Choueiri tells Asharq Al-Awsat: “What brought me back to the stage today is the text of the play (Tanan Tannen). It is adapted from a British play, and it was beautifully translated and written by Patrick Schmale.”
The play “Dragon Dragon” tells two separate stories; One of them deals with a married couple in the process of separating, while the second tells about a woman preparing to marry for the third time with the help of her brother. She comments: “I have previously presented this play in different languages. Today, for the first time, she appears on stage in Arabic. It also consists of 4 chapters, but we chose to present only two of them. Perhaps in the near future we will return with the other two chapters.”
She says that she is afraid and excited about this experience, especially since it launches soon, on October 26. “I have mixed feelings that I cannot describe. The circumstances we are going through also make me more worried. It is true that we, the Lebanese, are accustomed to a lifestyle in which we receive blows without counting them, but we all need to secure a living so we can continue working despite everything.
Choueiri has not previously participated in mainstream comedy in “Tanen Tanen,” and is awaiting people’s reactions on the one hand and the nature of her performance on the other. “I cannot now predict what the atmosphere will be like and how people will receive my comedy performance. I hope in all cases that I live up to their expectations. “The same thing I wish for myself. I feel as if I am standing on stage for the first time.”
The play will last for about an hour until mid-November. At this time, Asharq Al-Awsat asks her about her dramatic projects. “Currently, I do not have any view in this regard. “I don’t know what awaits me in the coming days, but so far I have not received the appropriate dramatic offer.”
Choueiri cannot explain this move away from drama. Does it come as a result of production companies restricting their team to specific names? She responds to Asharq Al-Awsat: “This may be possible, but drama productions in general have declined recently. The square is fairly quiet, whereas it was crowded in the recent past. Perhaps it has to do with the instability that the entire region is witnessing. But people need an outlet to relieve their worries.
The arts serve them in this regard, and we must benefit from every minute we live. We have spent our lives floundering in successive crises. The world is confused and the world is ruined, but these situations always exist. We should not be affected by it, otherwise we will remain unemployed.”
Choueiri follows drama works, including “Crystal,” about which she says: “Today we notice a new type of drama that has taken us out of the classic style. (Crystal) is one of them. I am very impressed by the performance of its stars, especially Pamela Al-Kik and Stephanie Atallah. I also loved the series (The Stranger) by director Sophie Boutros. His story goes beyond the norm, and Boutros’s camera makes him shine.”
One of the theatrical works that recently caught her attention is “Haikalo” by Abbas Jaafar. “Abbas surprised me with his remarkable talent. I did not expect to enjoy his play to this extent. I spent about 90 minutes without getting bored.
Christine Choueiri’s latest work in the world of drama, “Ward 6,” in its second part. She comments: “It is a unique experience in many ways. For the first time, I played the role of an evil woman. So I take on the character of the female prison guard. She is bossy and mean, and collecting money is her first and last goal. It is also one of the joint works that brings together different Arab nationalities. This is what imprinted the series with an Arab identity par excellence, especially since its story is compatible with this mixture. Sometimes joint work comes from a marketing perspective. Representatives from here and there gather there without a logical explanation for their different nationalities. But in (Ward 6), which is produced by Eagle Films, the story justifies this mixture.”
Her latest dramatic work: “Ward 6” (Christine Choueiri)
Choueiri believes that playing the role of the evil woman translated into a performance she did not expect. “When we embody a character that is far from us, it stimulates our acting abilities. Feelings emerge that serve the role without inhibiting them.”
Her participation in mixed Arabic works is not new to Choueiri. Since her beginnings, she has worked in Syrian and Egyptian series. But in Ward 6, the group of stars he received was large and unlike any other. “I met actress Saba Mubarak, who has a wonderful performance. The same applies to Sulaf Fawakherji and Fatima Al-Safi. In this part, the male element entered; It was not present in the first one. This is what colored the work with well-known names like Knaif Al-Dhafiri, Elie Mitri, and Fadi Ibrahim.” I have mixed feelings that I cannot describe, and the circumstances we are going through make me more anxious.
