Themester at IU will present a virtual screening and discussion of the Algerian play “Apples” at 5 p.m. Wednesday during the event “When Democracy Goes Awry.”
The virtual event goes along with the theme Themester has chosen this year: democracy. The play, as performed in English by Algerian theater troupe Istijmam Culturelle in 2016 at IU, examines Algeria’s failed transition to democracy and the life under the authoritarian regime that followed through a darkly comedic and intimate lens, according to the IU events calendar. There is currently an asynchronous version of the play available on YouTube for anyone to watch.
“This gritty, intimate production, full of dark humor and barbed observation, bears witness to Algeria’s shadowed past and confronts the complex destiny of the present day,” the website reads.
The event, which can be registered for online here, will then include a discussion of the play’s themes and an analysis of its depiction of democracy. It will be moderated by IU anthropology professor Jane Goodman.
Goodman traveled with the theater troupe during their U.S. tour and soon will publish a book, called “Staging Cultural Encounters,” detailing her experiences.
