We invited four women originally from other countries (Italy, France, and Syria) to play our collaborative story-making game, CircleTales, with the idea of turning the final story into a dramatic performance that could become either a stage play or a video adaptation.

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There were many unknowns when we began. How would we convey the richness of each participant’s language and cultural background? What form would the final performance take?
 

The story created by the four participants through CircleTales was truly epic: a genuine heroine’s journey that sparked deep conversations about imagery, archetypes, and the unfolding of a shared imaginative landscape. It was an amazing outcome that shows how unique this game is, bringing forth storytelling shaped entirely by the participants’ own contributions and the direction they choose.
 

In the drama session, shown at the end of this video, we explored proverbs from our own languages, devised an improvised skit that carried forward the themes of fire, being in circle, nature, and connection between women, and even created an original song—thanks to the expertise of participant Valentina Todino—which became the theme music for the final piece.
 

What surprised us all was how naturally the story emerged, fully formed, and how the spirit of collaboration inspired genuine feelings of creative energy and connection.
 

Yalla Arts, founded by Aqeel Abdulla, is a participatory community theatre company that provides a safe space for people from diverse cultures to share their stories, deepen their sense of themselves as creative individuals, and develop theatrical work in community.

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