Mohamed Achour Tells the Story of Casablanca

Mohamed Achour has prepared a scene from Hamlet for his audition, although his accent leaves his version sounding distinctly Middle Eastern. But instead of listening to yet another rendition of Shakespeare’s famous monologue, the theatre’s artistic director and dramaturge would much rather find out more about his long, circuitous biography as presented in his CV. They urge him to tell his whole story, to recount his sheltered childhood in Damascus and tell them about the little cinema opposite his house where he saw Casablanca for the first time. And to describe his mother Rania, whose existence he first became aware of when he was eight and becomes a focus of his longing. After being turned out by her father because of her young age on becoming pregnant, has fulfilled her dream of becoming a singer and is living a glamorous life in Casablanca. Aged 15, Mohamed finally follows her there. Echoing the famous film, this north African city sets his life on a new course. It is the point of departure for a long journey that takes Mohamed to Munich, back to Syria to save his country and then back to Germany. Mohamed’s strict grandfather and capricious mother become allegorical figures for a «Fatherland» that has suffered far more than his family, by now spread across several countries.