From storybook characters and virtual-world adventures to wall-climbing acrobats, the Sharjah International Book Fair takes entertainment beyond the stage.
Sharjah, UAE – A walking tree, a virtual Cinderella and acrobats scaling walls are among the unusual sights greeting visitors at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). This year’s entertainment programme takes storytelling beyond books and conventional stages, bringing roaming characters, theatrical encounters and spectacular performances directly into the fair’s public spaces.
Among the attractions is Woody Woodman, an American-origin character who moves through the halls and lobby of Expo Center Sharjah. Woody draws curious visitors into a silent theatrical encounter accompanied by hypnotic music. With an axe in one hand and roses in the other, the living tree presents a playful yet thought-provoking contrast between nurturing life and destroying it.
Woody is one of several roaming experiences introduced this year. Visitors can also encounter a storybook character stepping into the real world, Cinderella in a changing virtual environment, and Mr Muffin & Madame Cherry among other performances. Together, these acts bring unexpected moments of theatre, imagination and spectacle into the fair’s everyday movement.
Under this year’s theme, “Made of Stories”, these performances tell stories through movement, visual imagination and spontaneous encounters. At the book fair, the next story may be walking toward visitors — not waiting on a bookshelf.
