Update on Arabic Tempest

Update - It's Sulayman Al-Bassam directing the Arabic-language Tempest at the Globe Theatre next year.
A certain lack of imagination on their part, I daresay -- but at least they can be confident it will be well done.

Latest update (May 8, 2011): I talked to Sulayman and he is no longer involved in this project.  Decided there was not so much that he could interestingly do with The Tempest right now.  Stay tuned for more on the whole Olympiad-related extravaganza, and let me know if you have more details.

The Globe goes global

After the RSC's Complete Works season, how could this not be next?  Shakespeare's 38 plays to be performed in 38 different languages. The Guardian writes:

Anyone who struggles with Shakespeare in English will next year be able to see if it is any easier in Lithuanian. Or Portuguese, Italian or Spanish, perhaps. And if all that fails – Troilus and Cressida in Maori?


In fact, there will be 38 different ways to experience it, as Shakespeare's Globe presents all of the Bard's plays, each in a different language, as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Apparently Arabic has been selected for The Tempest (stay tuned for director and cast info) -- but I bet that won't be nearly as interesting as the Urdu Taming of the Shrew!