Photo:WAM
Today, a special 4-day workshop on storytelling and dramatic performance starts in Sharjah. The Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) is organising this workshop under the “Al Rawi for Preparing Storytellers” programme.
This workshop is part of the build-up to the 25th Sharjah International Storyteller Forum, which runs from September 15 to 18 at the Institute’s headquarters. The trainer for this workshop is Talal Mahmoud, who is an author and playwright.
What the workshop aims to do
The goal is to help people learn how to tell stories well and perform them in a creative way. SIH wants to teach how to turn your own experiences or ideas into storytelling that touches others.
It also wants to strengthen storytelling as a cultural heritage in Sharjah and the Arab world. So this is training for young people and anyone interested in storytelling.
What participants will learn each day
The workshop is built in stages—some theory (what storytelling is, history, ideas) and some practice (actually doing storytelling). Here is what will happen on each day:
Day One: Learn the philosophy of storytelling — what makes a story a story; what are its key parts; how story differs from just giving information. Then participants will try writing short narrative texts.
Day Two: Focus on performance skills. These include using gestures and facial expressions, controlling voice (tone, loudness, softness), rhythm, and knowing when silence helps the story. Exercises will help bring out real emotions in storytelling.
Day Three: This day is for showing what you’ve made. Participants will present short parts of stories (excerpts) to the trainer and to each other. They’ll get feedback—how to improve the way they tell a story, how to develop characters, and ways to make dramatic vs realistic storytelling styles.
Day Four: It’s like a performance lab. Participants refine their narrative texts and perform both solo and in groups. At the end, there will be final performances (2-5 minutes) by participants. Then there will be group evaluation, feedback, and an awards ceremony. Also, the event will be recorded with photos and videos.
Why this is important
Cultural heritage: Storytelling is part of Arab and Emirati culture. By training more storytellers, SIH aims to keep this tradition alive and strong.
Youth and creativity: Young people who join will gain skills to express themselves, tell their own stories, maybe perform in public. This builds confidence and creativity.
Preparation for the Forum: This workshop is a lead-up to the Storyteller Forum. It helps participants prepare so the Forum has more good performances, better storytelling, and more interested people.
What participants will do
- Write their own short stories or narrative texts.
- Practice voice modulation, gestures, facial expressions.
- Present parts of stories to receive feedback.
- Perform in front of others at the end.
Venue and duration
- The workshop starts today, September 15, 2025, and will last 4 days.
- It is held at Sharjah Institute for Heritage, at their main headquarters.
Closing & special session
On the final day, there is a special session called “When the Story Speaks Through the Features of Its Owner.” In this, each participant gives a final storytelling performance of 2-5 minutes. After those, there will be group evaluation, feedback, and an awards ceremony to honour participation and growth.
Photos and videos will capture the event so others can see what was done.
This 4-day workshop is a great chance for people in Sharjah who love stories to learn how to tell them with confidence. It teaches both the thinking behind stories and the skills to perform them. It also connects people with their tradition of storytelling and prepares them for the Sharjah International Storyteller Forum.
English
