The Green Line | خطّ التماس

By (author): Makram Ayache

Translated by: Hiba Sleiman

A poetic, heartbreaking story of intergenerational queer history in Lebanon, The Green Line weaves together civil war Beirut with a contemporary nightclub, following one family’s journey to discover their past.

In the present day, Rami, a twentysomething queer Lebanese Canadian, has returned to the Lebanese mountains to bury his father. To cope with the weight of his grief, Rami, carrying a necklace in the shape of a phoenix left to him by his father, finds himself in a queer Beirut nightclub, where he catches the attention of a powerful drag queen named Fifi, who just so happens to be dressed as a phoenix.

In 1978, in the midst of the Lebanese Civil War, Naseeb is attempting to get himself and his sister Mona out of Beirut and into the safety of the mountains. Mona, however, is secretly in love with her classmate, a woman named Yara, and refuses to leave the city. When Naseeb becomes swept up with the descending political culture of the war around him, he creates a rift between himself and Mona greater than the line that divides the country itself.

AUTHOR

Makram Ayache

Makram Ayache is a queer Arab Canadian playwright, director, and performer. He was born in Lebanon, raised in rural Alberta, and now lives between Edmonton and Toronto. His work explores representations of queer Arab voices and aims to bridge political struggles to the intimate experiences of the people impacted by them. His work is produced across Canada and aimed at creating emotional experiences that bring about lasting and nourishing social change. Ayache is the winner of the 2020 Tom Hendry RBC Emerging Playwright Award and the winner of the 2021/2022 Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play. Find more at www.makramayache.com


AUTHOR

Hiba Sleiman

Hiba Sleiman is a Montreal-based artist and drama therapist. She is an actor and a writer for stage and screen and started her psychotherapy practice in 2023. Hiba’s curiosity for human behaviour has informed her creative work as her writing contemplates themes of identity, belonging, and politics of the self and the other. Hiba has worked with acclaimed filmmakers and stage directors in Lebanon, Canada, and the States. She recently developed the script for the upcoming music concert of the Canadian Arabic Orchestra. She is currently developing an immersive piece taking place “off stage” and working on producing her second independent short film.


Reviews

“An affecting, well-written piece by Edmonton playwright Makram Ayache . . . that travels to a surprisingly wide variety of places . . . a universal, first-class [play] more than worthy of your attention.”


“Ayache’s dialogue is decidedly lyrical . . . There are some truly beautiful images not just in the monologues but in simple exchanges.”


Awards

  • Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play 2022, Winner
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    Details

    Dimensions:

    176 Pages
    8.38in * 5.45in * .40in
    .49lb
    230.00gr

    Published:

    June 25, 2024

    ISBN:

    9780369104922

    Book Subjects:

    DRAMA / LGBTQ+

    Language:

    eng

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