"Employing Dramatic Folk Games in Jordanian Theater: An Applied Study"

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of employing dramatic folk games in Jordanian theater and to examine the intellectual aspects and dramatic approaches of these games, as well as how they can inspire theatrical performance. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to one of the few studies addressing this topic. The researcher seeks to analyze the nature of folk games, their intellectual and aesthetic content, and their motor and dialogic dimensions by purposefully selecting a number of such games and integrating them into theatrical construction. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology and is limited to the performance of the play “Let’s Play” (2024), staged in Amman, Jordan.The findings indicate that Jordanian folk games contain several dramatic elements, including the presence of a text or idea, improvisational dialogue, a performer/actor, and an audience, all characterized by a collective and entertaining nature. Integrating these games into theatrical performance also conveys social, educational, and cultural messages that contribute to the development of social identity and personal growth in areas such as cooperation, solidarity, and the promotion of peace. This is achieved through framing cultural heritage associated with practices derived from daily life. Additionally, these games play a role in transmitting customs, traditions, and skills naturally and spontaneously from one generation to the next, highlighting features of popular culture rich in humanistic and social meanings, such as the importance of belonging and attachment to land and country. This study may benefit practitioners in folk arts and theater—including playwrights, directors, actors, and critics—as well as academic institutions concerned with folk culture and theater studies.