Arabian Afternoons

A trilogy of contemporary plays inspired by tales from The Arabian Nights

The Casper Logue Affair by Sebastian Baczkiewicz: An absurd black comedy thriller, set in Baghdad. Junior diplomat Bob Goldacre is in trouble: the American businessman he was looking after has vanished from a Baghdad street. As the suspects pile up, Goldacre is going to have his work cut out if he wants to save his career and make sure that justice is done.

The Porter and the Three Ladies by Rachel Joyce: It is time for Shahrazad to tell another tale to save her life. In this story within a story, we find out that if Joe doesn''t find the exclusive to satisfy his ruthless editor, he will lose his job. He finds three beautiful women in Damascus but what is the truth behind their secret life?

A Dish of Pomegranates by Peter Jukes: Shared roots and scattered families in the melting pot of modern Jerusalem. Tired after a stressful trip, Ajib is stopped by security officers as he tries to fly out of Ben Gurion airport on his way home to the U.S. They don''t think his story adds up. Can he make them believe him? And does he actually know the whole story himself?


The Casper Logue Trilogy
Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz
Directed and produced by Abigail le Fleming

Cast
Shahrazad: Sirine Saba
Shahrayar: Kevork Malikyan
Aseera: Betsabeh Emran
Rahim: Sargon Yelda
Goldacre: Trevor White
Hammond: Bruce Alexander
Casper: Nathan Osgood
Kindermann: Rufus Wright
Carlton: John Biggins
Charlene: Alison Pettit

The Porter and the Three Ladies
Written by Rachel Joyce
Directed by Tracey Neale
Produced by Abigail le Fleming

Cast
Shahrazad: Sirine Saba
Shahrayar: Kevork Malikyan
Joe: Stephen Tompkinson
Margot: Joanna Monro
Mira: Indira Varma
Affyah: Jasmine Jones
Juliba: Melissa Advani

A Dish of Pomegranates
Written by Peter Jukes
Directed by Mary Peate
Produced by Abigail le Fleming

Cast
Shahrazad: Sirine Saba
Shahrayar / Vardan: Kevork Malikyan
Ajib: William El-Gardi
Orit: Betsabeh Emran
Rafi: Zubin Varla
Howard: Allan Corduner
Julia: Keely Beresford
Café Owner: Stefan Kalipha
Tawfik / Trader 2: Mozaffar Shafeie
Trader 1 / Flight Attendant: David Seddon
Protestor: Rufus Wright

Originally broadcast in March 2010.
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