INTERVIEW parents not wanting her to. It is powerful in turning stereotypes on their head.When I enquired to the rights of this book, Randa’s agent informed me that they had already been given away and therefore, suggested Where the Streets Had a Name.After reading it I felt it was just as beautiful and relevant as her first book, so I spoke to Randa and we agreed it would make a great play. What do you think audiences will gain from seeing the play that they might not gain from reading the novel? I love reading. Reading allows you to run away with your imagination. However, the thing about books is that you can put them down at any point. It’s different with theatre – you cannot put it down, you are there for the duration of the play. I feel that the energy the audience feels from the actors allows them to further engage with the characters and develop a deeper connection with the story.What makes it so special is that the audience is able to witness and share that one moment in time where a story is being told. In terms of Where the Streets Had a Name, when we hear about Palestine it is usually under a shroud of negative news bites. What drew me to this story was that it follows a family who live in extraordinary times, but still maintain their humour despite the atrocious conditions they are facing. I wanted to bring this story to the stage, to create empathy and greater understanding amongst more people. Ultimately, I want it to lead to world peace. How much influence has the original author, Randa Abdel-Fattah had on the stage version? Randa has played an integral role in the adaptation of Where the Streets Had a Name, from reading through every version of the drafts, to having conversations with me around which characters and scenes to focus on. She has been really supportive with the script consultancy and I loved working with her. She was very happy with the draft script that was read at the Creative Development in December last year. What are your next projects? Our big project at the moment is our adaptation of Morris Gleitzman’s series Once Then Now & After, directed by Wayne Harrison AM (Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta Directorate). We have also started working on adapting Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s book Josephine Wants To Dance, which will be directed by Jonathan Biggins and Phil Scott (Pete the Sheep) and is set to tour in 2018. A Monkey Baa Theatre Company Production WHERE THE STREETS HAD A NAME Written by Eva Di Cesare Based on the book by Randa Abdel-Fattah This is a powerful story of one girl’s response to the confinements of curfew in an occupied city and how to rise above with humour and love. Hayaat is on a mission. With the help of her best friend Samy, she will even skip school to achieve it. She is determined to retrieve a handful of soil from her grandmother’s farm to make her beloved Sitti (Arabic for grandmother) well again, but standing between Hayaat and her goal is the impenetrable wall that encloses the West Bank. With strong performances and a stunning musical score, director Eva Di Cesare has adapted local writer Randa Abdel-Fattah’s book into a loving, gripping and enlightening production with emotional reach far beyond its Palestinian borders. Wednesday 30 August at 7:30pm See website for prices and details MONKEY BAA THEATRE COMPANY: WHERE THE STREETS HAD A NAME (IN DEVELOPMENT) 30