Dubai: It's the last weekend before school reopens and 12-year-old Zoya has invited five of her friends for a slumber party. Growing up in Dubai, the girls have a lot in common. Yet, as the evening unfolds, there is no mistaking their distinct personalities, which reflect the diverse influences in the city.
A celebration of childhood and friendship, Slumber Party Confessions is being enacted as a tribute to Universal Children's Day on November 20. An hour-long children's play to be put up by the group Woman2Woman at Emirates Theatre at Emirates International School on November 18-19, it is an attempt to get Dubai residents to relive the nuances of life in Dubai, said group partner Zareen Khan, who has scripted and directed the play.
Relocation blues
Having just moved from the US to Dubai, one of the characters, Lisa, is the quintessential product of relocation, a category that has gone undefined as parents freely move in a globalised world. Having roughed it out at a boarding school and now in a new land, she is rebellious and has a tough veneer. But she is protective of her friends, as her confessions hold out.
Each of the girls is on her own trip of flashbacks. Laila is obsessed with losing weight. She feels lonely and unattractive but camouflages it with a jovial front that makes her appear as an outspoken, giggly tween.
Tech-savvy Maya, who also has unexplained fears and inadequacies, remains shy and quiet.
In contrast, Donna is an acknowledged fashionista, the Barbie doll of the crowd. She cannot think deep, has little empathy and is critical of others.
"The host Zoya is the soul of the play," said Khan, adding that she is a kind and intelligent kid who takes control of any situation she is in. Not surprisingly, her guest list also includes Sara, a special needs child, who appears on stage and does her own thing.
"We wanted to highlight the need for such integration," said Khan, who hopes the message will be effectively communicated.
The performers come from different schools in Dubai. While Bianca Pergher, Nikkita Ahuja and Hana Al Madhoun, who play Zoya, Maya and Donna respectively, are from American School of Dubai, Aarti Ajay Shah who plays Sara is from the Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs. Lisa Paravano of the Jumeirah College plays Lisa, and Rukaiya Mushtaq of Emirates International plays Laila.
Role play
The girls love the characters they play. "I like how Donna has so much confidence. What other people think and say don't matter to her," said Hana.
"When Zoya is mad, she keeps it inside. It shows how she is being the bigger person," said Bianca, adding, "I also like the fact that she is so caring."
