Nabil Sawalha’s Mansaf Trail, and Laughter Clubs!

This evening we went to Nabil Sawalha’s new one-man comedy “The Mansaf Trail from Amman to Ramallah”, which was presented on the Royal Film Commission’s terrace before its official opening at Nabil’s theatre in Jabal Amman this week. It was part of the RFC’s “Summer, Stars and Cinema” Series, where they host an artistic or cultural event every Sunday on the beautiful terrace overlooking old Amman (the picture is a poor attempt to show it, since I still don’t know how to make the most of my camera’s potential!!) So far the series included a performance by local band INK, a screening of short films from International Film Schools, a screening of short Jordanian films, and tonight’s play – which was a lot of fun and a good laugh!!



It’s basically about this retired Jordanian man, married to a Palestinian, who tells the story of his life with all the ‘nakad’, sons and daughters, the Italian daughter-in-law, the Syrian daughter-in-law, his 17-year-old son with all the piercing, the grandchildren, the government, Cholesterol, high blood pressure, his love affair with Mansaf… and his encounter with death after a heart attack!!

It was all drawn out of everyday life and culture, and some parts were really funny!! Add to that the nice audience and a night of Amman’s perfect summer weather, and you get a very pleasant entertainment!! After the show Nabil talked to the audience about comedy, the development of this work, the use of spoken language and the importance of keeping a natural tone as opposed to the traditional over-dramatic Arabic, and most importantly, he spoke a lot about laughter, its therapeutic effects, and the positive attitude.

He recently set up his theatre in Jabal Amman where he’s planning to discover young talents and organize drama, comedy, and script-writing courses! He also wants to set up a Laughter Club, modeled after the one he visited in India, where this idea originated. He talked about laughter as a great breathing exercise; it creates what is known as internal jogging in the body, it stimulates the production of endorphins in the brain which work as natural pain killers and alleviate depression!


Some of the goals of these laughter clubs are:

. To create awareness of new techniques of therapeutic laughter all over the world, by setting up Laughter Clubs and imparting practical training in various techniques of laughter. Thus, we can help to cultivate the spirit of laughter by understanding ways and means of sensible living and putting them into practice through laughter.

· To maintain a website as the international clearinghouse for information, ideas, and activities of interest and importance to the laughter movement.

· To publish books, manuals, newsletters, videocassettes, CDs and other information on Laughter Therapy.

· To bring people of various countries together and promote events that bring everlasting peace through laughter.

· To disseminate accredited training around the world, and to develop models for advanced training using traditional educational methods as well as modern technological innovations, such as distance learning.

· To develop a cadre of competent, accredited trainers who will train and certify Laughter Leaders.

· To promote Laughter Clubs in public places that can be free and open to everyone.

· To promote the adoption of Laughter Clubs in every long-term care facility in the United States, as well as in schools, government, and workplaces, as an effective, reputable, professional program, on a fee-for-service basis wherever it is appropriate.

· To create a professional association for accredited Laughter Leaders and providers of therapeutic laughter programs, to enhance credibility, and spread the access to these methods around the world.

· To foster international conferences, meetings, and symposia on the therapeutic benefits of laughter, laughter methods, and to foster research and the sharing of research findings.
Via: World Laughter Tour

Very interesting, isn’t it?!

Again big Cheers to the RFC and the wonderful culture they’re spreading :D