A play for children at Christmas, this story is based in the Middle East and narrates the story of a princess, Amire, and her two sisters, Shareela and Bubba. When their Father dies, Amire is made queen on condition that she brings the sun into the palace; if she fails she will be trapped in a dark box. She tries to grab the sun while it is setting but to no avail and eventually gives up. Her ambitious sister Shareela is glad of this and declares herself queen. However with the help of the Djinn and Azim, a poor man searching for oil to stop his lamp from going out, she eventually realises that it is only by tearing down the walls and letting people in with their lamps that the sun will shine in the palace. It is a story about following your dreams, having courage and breaking down barriers between rich and poor.
“Kanafani’s tale has a strong social conscience and a political edge that is still to the fore in Robert Rea’s production. The sun only enters the palace when the common people are allowed access. Moreover, the most potent magic is tied in with the olive tree – emblematic of the natural resources of Palestine – which gives oil to light their lamps. This is storytelling with serious themes – and music, good design and the clever use of video images, help to focus and drive the narrative.” The Herald