tech
'Omar, what the hell are you doing in Chichester?': when Doctor Zhivago star Sharif came to Sussex
Hannah Khalil’s new play sprang from her surprise at seeing the great Egyptian actor had performed at the Festival theatre in the 1980s. She explains how it entwined with a story of her mixed-heritage identity
TL;DR
- Hannah Khalil's play, Love Omar, originated from her surprise at seeing a photograph of Omar Sharif at Chichester Festival theatre.
- The play focuses on Sharif's 1983 performance in 'The Sleeping Prince' in Chichester and explores his personality traits, including vanity, charm, and gambling habits.
- Khalil conducted extensive research, interviewing Sharif's co-star Debbie Arnold and other figures associated with the production.
- The play also incorporates Khalil's personal narrative about her mixed-heritage (Palestinian Irish) identity and her parents' relationship, which was influenced by a man resembling Omar Sharif.
- Love Omar is described as a love letter to theatre, exploring the artifice of backstage life and the experience of being a star.