Hessa Al-Nabhani: "I am not negligent with television... Al-Hamli has never deprived anyone of their livelihood who is with him."

Hussa Al-Nabhane embarks on her first experience in playwriting and theatrical direction with the play “Happy Birth Day,” leveraging her academic background and a master’s degree in directing and movement expression from London. In this regard, Hussa affirmed that her desire to enter the field of directing stemmed from her wish to transform her ideas into works she could see performed on stage. She explained that collaborating with several directors facilitated this step, adding, “Sometimes you have an idea you want to implement. I learned this from the directors I worked with, and I am testing myself to see if I can handle all the details of this production.” She noted that the play’s team shares mutual trust, revealing that she always feels a sense of apprehension in any project she participates in, which drives her to perform her duties in the best possible way. This is what she strives to apply in the play to achieve the best results, emphasizing that “Happy Birth Day” is not a horror play but an entertaining and enjoyable one suitable for families. She added, “The play offers fun for children, while adults will be on the edge of their seats.”

Al-Nabhane spoke about her collaboration with director and artist Mohammed Al-Humli, who serves as the play’s supervisor. She affirmed that his observations constitute a significant addition to her directing experience, stating, “Mohammed watches things from his own perspective, and his comments are beneficial to me.” She hinted that he offers advice and feedback that help her enhance the production, including the necessity for the work to be clear to the audience and able to convey its message directly, as well as the importance of a joyful and happy ending rather than a sad one.

In the same vein, Hussa stressed that her collaboration with Al-Humli did not detract from her television drama work. She clarified during an interview on the program “Mas’alat Waqt” (A Matter of Time) with journalist Ali Najm on Marina FM radio: “I am not neglecting television. Al-Humli is helping all of us fulfill our other professional commitments and coordinating to ensure we work comfortably and without any pressure. He has never taken away anyone’s livelihood who works with him.”

On the cinema front, Al-Nabhane revealed that preparations for the film “The Martyr Wafaa” are ongoing. She noted that the production team is working on preparing the project for release, expressing her hope that the film will appear in a manner befitting its subject matter and value.