Satirical ­comedy in al-Zanzalaḫt by ʽIṣām Maḥfūẓ

An absurd play with metaphysical, existential, but also political depth, Le Lilas de Perse can be read on more than one level. Its text invokes a multifaceted comedy that is at times mercilessly entertaining, and at others comes close to tragedy, painting a harrowing picture of the condition of the oppressed Arabian being and the tragedy of its relationship with power. Read from this angle, the play transcends its historical context and continues to voice the suffering of Arabian citizens today.