Muscat – An Omani theatre production has earned international recognition after winning two awards at the second edition of the SITFY Georgia 2026: Silk Road Performing Arts Festival – Duos with its play ‘Saturday Night’.

Presented by Al Hail Theatre Troupe, the production was selected from among 60 submissions from around the world, making it one of only eight plays chosen to participate in the international festival held in Tbilisi.

The festival celebrates contemporary and student theatre productions from across the globe and serves as a platform for cultural exchange between Georgian and international theatre communities.

The Omani production won the Best Scenography Award, while actor Sulaiman Al Humaidi received a Special Jury Award for Best Emerging Actor. 

Written by Jalil Salem and directed by Mahmood Habib Al Farsi, the production starred Mohammed Al Siyabi and Sulaiman Al Humaidi.

The play follows a traveller fleeing fears of an impending war who becomes stranded in a remote area after his car runs out of fuel. Arriving at a petrol station on a Saturday night, he encounters a worker prohibited from selling fuel during his day off. As events unfold, the traveller realises he has fallen into a psychological trap orchestrated by the station worker, leading to mounting tension before discovering that the man is mentally unstable.

Speaking to Muscat Daily from Tbilisi, director Mahmood Habib Al Farsi described the participation as a milestone in the troupe’s artistic journey.

“Standing today on the stage of such a prestigious theatre is the culmination of a long journey for Al Hail Theatre Troupe, which began with simple resources and sincere community performances in the village of Hail Al Ghaf in Quriyat,” he said.

“Many things have evolved for the better over the years, but what has remained unchanged is our passion and honesty in presenting theatre with a meaningful message.”

 “We were not only representing the troupe, but also Omani theatre, Omani culture and the flag of Oman at an international forum, which was a great honour for us,” he said.

He noted that this was not the troupe’s first international appearance. In 2019, the troupe participated in a festival in Morocco with the play Rahma Besoura.

Actor Mohammed Al Siyabi said the positive response from audiences and international artists in Georgia made the demanding preparation worthwhile, adding that the experience motivated him to contribute further to the arts and cultural scene in Oman.

Award-winning actor Sulaiman Al Humaidi said receiving international recognition was both an honour and a motivation to continue developing his craft. He added that watching productions from different countries during the festival reinforced his belief that “there are no limits to creativity, experimentation and hard work in theatre”.