Former director of the National Theater, Mohamed Shater…departed quietly

Sudan Events – Magda Hassan

The mourner mourned in sad news the passing of Mohamed Shater, the former director of the Sudanese National Theater, who passed away on Tuesday in Cairo.
Shater was known for his calmness and open-mindedness, and everyone attested to his kindness and calmness. However, Shater, who took over the management of the National Theater and worked in 2015 during a period of deterioration in theatrical work, lack of funding, and scarcity of work, and despite that, he led that period of complaining with the same calmness.
“We will witness him on the Day of Judgment with his kind companionship, his kind companionship, his kindness, gentleness, gentleness of hand, and a seller of musk and love. We did not see anything from him except what was good and what was love, and a smile that did not leave his face, whether he was big with the adults or small with the children. You can either buy from him or find a pleasant atmosphere and a brilliant administrator about whom no one complained throughout his service as director of the National Theater.” The artist, Mustafa Ahmed Al-Khalifa.
“We found all the help, determination, and initiative from him… May God have mercy on you, my brother Shater. My condolences to the family of dramatists, artists, and workers at the National Theater, his children, his companion Hanan, his brothers, and his family… Rest in God’s peace, generosity, and mercy, my brother Shater. We have found in our family all the best and kindness, and your memory will remain a symbol of the theatrical movement and its history.” He added.

Under the mourning of the passing of an artist, his colleagues came forward with a sad obituary, “We, the artists, extend our condolences to the Sudanese Artists Association in Egypt to his honorable family, his family, and all his friends and professional colleagues in the dramatic and theatrical community in Sudan and the Arab world. The spiritual father and close friend of all playwrights in Sudan has passed away quietly, as usual, and for the generous nature with which we knew him and for his good manners, smile, and service to all the people of drama, the beautiful Professor Muhammad Shater has passed away.” The statement said.
“The late Muhammad Shater registered his name in the management of the National Theater alongside the senior directors of the National Theater.” The obituary statement added. “The opinion began by appointing Al-Faki Abdul Rahman as director of the Sudanese National Theater on June 5, 1967, and he was the first to begin implementing what is known as the theatrical season. The Sudanese National Theater was opened on November 17, 1958 in Omdurman, and Khaled Abu Al-Rous was one of the pioneers of the movement.” The statement said. The play in Sudan, with the issuance of the play (Tagoj) about a traditional story similar to the story of Majnun Laila in Arabic literature or Romeo and Juliet in English literature in 1934, and the establishment of the National Theater was the beginning of the emergence of a new generation of directors and actors.
“In its beginnings, the theater was affiliated with the radio, and Abu Aqla was its first director. Then, Abdul Rahman, Othman Ahmed Hamad, Muhammad Sharif, Makki Sinada, Dr. Fadlallah Ahmed Abdullah, Dr. Shams al-Din Younis, Dr. Salah Al-Faki, succeeded in managing the theater. Al-Din Al-Obaid, Muhammad Shater, Abdullah Al-Shammasi, and the flag is still held high. May God restore the theater and restore its lights, and mercy and forgiveness to Professor Muhammad Shater and to those who departed before him among the directors of the Sudanese National Theater.” The statement added.