Gibran The Play, based on the life of Gibran Khalil Gibran and written by Nabil Sawalha, is coming to London on November 17. Details here or here.
The play – “a mix of drama, comedy and profound self-discovery” – is apparently inspired by Gibran’s most famous book, The Prophet, a book of prose poetry essays written in 1926 which remains popular until today. To be honest, I haven’t read The Prophet straight through. I can dip into the text and see the beauty of (some…a few) of the quotes, but I tried reading it from beginning to end only once and failed. I think it’s better read as en e-text with links to each of the sections, like here.
In any case, as the synopsis for the this play reminds us: The Prophet “remains to this day on best selling lists around the world. It is read and quoted from – often at significant moments in people’s lives – by millions.”
Here’s more from the synopsis:
This generous, funny and moving play contrasts through the relationship of Gibran and his sister Miryanna the loss of remembered Arab family warmth as they struggle to survive in America. Memories of Gibran’s childhood and his own spiritual awakening in Mount Lebanon are juxtaposed with the everyday bustle and music of the Lebanese enclave in Boston’s Chinatown, providing an insight into the poet’s roller-coaster life and the people who had a great impact on it…
There was a film adaption too a couple of years ago.
In The Prophet, BAFTA-nominated director and composer Gary Tarn (Black Sun, 2005) takes Kahlil Gibran’s classic novel and spins it into a cinematic exploration of love, life and loss. An intimate narration, performed by the British actress Thandie Newton, is integrated into Tarn’s minimal score for orchestra, guitar, cello and synthesiser. This fictional text is juxtaposed against footage shot on the filmmaker’s solo travels to Lebanon, Serbia, New York, Milan and London. Finding beauty in the everyday, the film leaves space for each viewer to find their own meaning : an uninhibited eye observing the world through the lens of poetic wisdom.
Also some news apparently there will be an animated version, which kind of boggles the mind, but here it is:
Salma Hayek has teamed up with the Doha Film Institute and Participant Media to adapt Khalil Gibran’s classic novel The Prophet into an animated feature for the big screen.
The book of 26 poetic essays written in English by the Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer is divided into chapters dealing with the human themes of love, marriage, children, joy and sorrow, crime and punishment, freedom, friendship, good and evil, prayer, religion and death – amongst others.
Each of the 89-year old classic’s chapters will be directed by a different award-winning filmmaker, with Oscar-nominated Lion King director Roger Allers co-ordinating the process.
Not having seen “Gibran The Play” I wonder where it is on the spectrum of reading Khalil Gibran:
From this (and the Tarn film)
to this:
Kayann Ausherman
Arab Hyphen 
