The Kalba Acting Workshop has concluded at the Kalba Cultural Centre as part of the 13th Theatre Performance Elements Course. The workshop was organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture ahead of the upcoming Kalba Short Play Festival.
The festival’s 13th edition will take place from 25 September to 2 October 2026. The annual event supports theatre talent and helps performers prepare for the festival.
The workshop began on 4 August and was supervised by Egyptian theatre artist Essam El Sayed. It focused on “acting from within” through both theoretical lessons and practical training.
Participants learned techniques linked to the approaches of Stanislavski, Boleslavsky and Strasberg. They also worked with selected theatre texts to improve their acting skills.
The sessions covered several important areas. These included script analysis, character motivation, emotional memory, artistic authenticity and movement. Participants also explored interaction with other actors and ways to connect with audiences.
At the closing session, festival coordinator Alia Al Zaabi presented El Sayed with a certificate of appreciation. The certificate recognised his contribution and efforts during the workshop.
El Sayed praised the Sharjah Department of Culture for creating an inclusive platform for emerging theatre talent. He said such programmes help young performers develop their abilities and gain practical experience.
The Kalba Acting Workshop is part of a wider programme preparing participants for the theatre festival. The Theatre Performance Elements Course will continue on 15 August with a directing workshop.
Egyptian theatre artist Gamal Yakout will lead the directing session, adding another important stagecraft element to the programme.
