SASAH Speakers' Series: Makram Ayache, "WHY ARE WE STILL DOING SHAKESPEARE?"

Reflections on writing about Gaza through Shakespeare’s The Tempest

Event in FNB 2220; SASAH Salon Reception to follow in the Creative Commons (second floor, FNB TA.202)

is a Governor General Literary Award Finalist and Dora award-winning playwright, performer, director, and producer based in Toronto. His playwriting explores representations of queer Arab voices and aims to bridge political struggles to the intimate experiences of the people impacted by them. Ayache's work was named as a and he also won New York City's in the same year. His play, "The Hooves Belonged to the Deer" was selected as l and won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for “Outstanding Independent Production” in Edmonton in 2023. Previously, His play "The Green Line" (Downstage and Chromatic Theatre) garnered Most recently, Ayache has written an adaption of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" titled "A Witch in Algiers" (Shakespeare in the Ruff) which garnered the in 2025. Alongside writing, Ayache directs, acts, teaches and producers theatre.

The annual, interdisciplinary SASAH Speakers' Series invites nationally and internationally renowned leaders across the arts and humanities to discuss leading topics of concern. This event is organized in partnership with The Department of English and Writing Studies' Theatre Studies Program and the Faculty of Information and Media Studies. Makram Ayache is a guest of Kim Solga's "“Making Decolonial Shakespeares” course.

Photograph: Shane D'Costa

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