The theatrical movement in Saudi Arabia can be traced back to a play written by poet Hussain Abdullah Siraj in the year 1932, titled "He Who Wrongs Himself (Al-Zalim li-Nafsih).
In 2019, the General Entertainment Authority produced 44 plays, with most of them being locally made, while some featured artists from the Gulf, such as "The Wolf in the Well (Al-Dhib fi-l-Qalib)" portrayed by actor Nasser Al Qasabi.
[3] In January 2020, the Theater and Performing Arts Commission was established to develop and support the theatrical sector and encourage investment in it.
[5] The history of theatrical activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dates back to 1928 when the first play entitled "Dialogue between the ignorant and uneducated" was performed in Qassim in front of King Abdulaziz.
Universities and societies held competitions, brought in academic directors, and conducted workshops to nurture students’ talent.
The first ever written script emerged in 1932, authored by poet Hussain Abdullah Siraj and titled "He Who Wrongs Himself (Al-Zalim li-Nafsih).
In 1980, the Society of Culture and Arts showcased numerous plays, including Naser Al Mubarak's "House of Fiber (Bayt min Lif)".
Saudi school theater's earliest history dates back to 1935, during the visit of King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud to Unayzah in Al-Qassim Province, where he attended a school play titled "Kisra and The Arab Delegation," as well as three other plays called "The Tea and the Cinnamon," “The Blind," and "Dialogue between Classical and Colloquial Arabic."
It was translated by Lebanese poet Elias Abu Shabaki, and the play was directed by Ibrahim Al-Hamdan, the president of the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts at the time.
[15] In the early 1980s, the General Presidency of Youth Welfare decided to send a host of artists from various specializations – such as acting, directing, design, and writing – to study in Gulf, Arab, and foreign countries.
As the play featured both British and Saudi actors, it supported the Center's key objective, which aimed to foster cultural exchange.