Children’s Theater Between the “Violin” and the “Keyboard”: The Play’s Promotion Has No Relation to the Production

With the birth of the first children’s play in Kuwait, “Sinbad the Sailor,” produced by Awatef Al-Badr in 1978, music became the star of the production. The play gained widespread fame for its timeless national anthem, “Our Country is Beautiful,” which audiences still remember today. The lyrics were penned by poet Abdulameer Issa, and the melody was composed by musician Ahmed Al-Battain. This composition stands as another masterpiece alongside the play’s leading actors. The melodies were crafted with care, featuring musical arrangements that highlight the violin, rhythm, and various instruments, allowing the songs to transcend the stage and remain etched in children’s memories for years.

Those who revisit Kuwaiti children’s theater during its golden age, particularly the works of Huda Hussein and other stars of that era, will notice that the song was never merely a pause between scenes; it was an integral part of the narrative. Every song had a purpose, every melody conveyed an emotion, and every scene had its own musical accompaniment that served and completed its visual image.

There was clear attention given to melody and arrangement, as well as the presence of real musical instruments, violins, and orchestras. Consequently, the songs and music alone were often sufficient to bring an entire play, its characters, and its events back to our memories.

So, what has changed today?

We cannot deny the significant technological advancements that have entered the theater, nor can we downplay the efforts of young artists and composers. However, anyone following contemporary children’s theater will observe that a large number of productions rely heavily on keyboards and electronic arrangements, resulting in melodies that have become completely dull.

The problem is not with the keyboard itself, which is an important musical instrument, nor is technology inherently a flaw. The issue begins when the keyboard becomes a substitute for a full orchestra, and when the music of a play shifts from being a fundamental element in crafting the work to merely serving as background noise or a quick rhythm that fulfills its function and ends with the scene, accompanied by some dancing.

In the past, listening to a song allowed us to feel the scene even if we hadn’t seen it. Sadness had its music, joy had its music, and fear, adventure, and dreams each had their own musical world. This is why many songs from childhood plays remain in our memories today, despite the passage of decades. Who does not remember the songs from “Al-Wawi and the Shawi’s Daughters” and “The Girls and the Magician,” among other works masterfully composed by Saif Al-Qattan, featuring rich arrangements of violins, cellos, and exquisite orchestration?

Furthermore, the lyrics of past children’s plays were clean and suitable for both children and families. For instance, the song “We Shook It, Oh Dirafa, and Whoever Falls, We Won’t Pick Them Up,” written by the esteemed poet Abdul Latif Al-Banna. Al-Banna also wrote the lyrics for “Layla and the Wolf,” which premiered in 1988, directed by Najat Hussein, with music composed by Jassim Al-Gharib. Its lyrics are filled with wisdom and moral lessons, complemented by its melody.

Similarly, the music for the Kuwaiti children’s play “Turtle Heroes,” which premiered in 1991, was composed by artist and composer Mohammed Al-Balushi. The play featured a notable performance by singer Nawal, with melodies that remain timeless and live with us to this day. Likewise, the play “Fadwa Li” became famous for the song “Diayti Baydi Thahab” (My Mother’s White Gold), and many other children’s plays, such as Abdulrahman Al-Aqil’s “The Sparrow,” “Tarzan,” “Jasem,” and “Mishiri,” featured heavy, substantial musical scores.

This raises the same question: How many songs from children’s plays presented in recent years have remained in the public’s memory after the season ended? Very few, with the most prominent being those composed by Bashar Al-Shatti, who worked with “Zeen” and many other theaters.

In the past, even the promotion of a play was an extension of its identity and story; when you watched the advertisement, you understood something about the plot and concept. Today, however, we sometimes see large, visually stunning advertisements featuring filming, costumes, displays, and effects, yet they may have no clear connection to the play’s story. The advertisement ends, leaving the viewer asking, “What is the play about?” Or, an ad appears only to criticize another ad.

This does not mean that everything in the past was better, nor that everything presented today is of lesser value. Today’s theater possesses technical capabilities unavailable to previous generations—screens, lighting, effects, sound, and technologies that can create amazing worlds on stage. It is considered one of the most important theaters in the world in terms of the quantity of shows and productions. However, this article focuses specifically on the songs of plays. Perhaps what we need today is not more technology, but rather a return of some of the soul of theater to it.

We hope to hear a musical instrument breathing with the actor, and for a song’s melody to live with the child. We want advertisements to tell us the story rather than merely dazzle us, and for creators of children’s theater to treat music as part of the memory they are building for the child, not just as music for a passing theatrical season. The violin and the keyboard represent the distance between an era that sought a melody that would endure, and an era that, in some of its works, seeks only a sound to fill the scene.

The question remains: Can we take the techniques and capabilities of today’s theater, and the soul and melodies of yesterday’s theater, to create a children’s theater worthy of remaining in the memory of a new generation?