In ‘Hakawatis,’ Imprisoned Women Keep Scheherazade Alive Through Shared Tales
DC Theater Arts reviews Hannah Khalil’s ‘Hakawatis: Women of the Arabian Nights,’ staged at Spooky Action Theater with Solas Nua. The play imagines abducted women working as a collective to keep Scheherazade supplied with stories, delaying her execution and preserving their own lives. The review highlights the production’s visual and sonic design, including Giorgos Tsappas’s set, navi’s music, and Cidney Forkpah’s costumes.
The show is co-presented by Spooky Action Theater and Solas Nua at Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, D.C. It runs through October 18, 2026, with evening and matinee performances, plus a Wednesday show on October 14. Running time is about two hours, including a 10-minute intermission. Tickets range from pay-what-you-can to $50, and the venue lacks wheelchair access.
Hannah Khalil wrote the play, which also features contributions from Hanan Al-Shaykh, Suhayla El-Bushra, and Sara Shaarawi, plus translations by Hassan Abdulrazzak. Mekala Sridhar directed. The creative team includes set designer Giorgos Tsappas, composer navi, costume designer Cidney Forkpah, choreographers Robert Bowen Smith and Rex Daugherty, and puppet contributor Johnna Presby.
By centering imprisoned women as co-creators, the production may invite audiences to reflect on storytelling as survival and collective labor. Theatergoers in Washington, D.C., and the artists involved could encounter a reframing of a familiar legend, while community groups discussing gender, captivity, or cultural heritage might find points of connection. Its emphasis on design and puppetry may also broaden appreciation for collaborative stagecraft, though the work’s impact will depend on how viewers interpret its themes.