The case of 200.000 invisible workers
A theater argumentation against the kafala system

Sunflower Theater, Beirut
17th and 18th of June 2021, at 7 pm.
Free entrance. 
Reservation is a must on 01381290

Wearing the mask is mandatory at all times.


How can a trial be held, despite the absence of the defendant?
The Black Hole is a theatre argumentation that summons the kafala system and its main players in front of an audience that is probably complicit in denying more than 200 thousand working women their chance of true justice. We will tell you about a system that forbids injustices to be visible, and systemically deports possibilities of justice. We will tell you about a family that finds comfort at the hands of a low-waged woman, yet laments that “we are all the same”. We will tell you about a citizen who protests state institutions’ mismanagement, yet she “owns” a human being at her home. We will tell you about a letter a woman wrote to a domestic worker, who committed suicide due to her abuse. And finally, we will tell you about a black hole in a desolate space. 


Writer and director: Hashem Adnan
Co-director and dramaturgy: Petra Serhal
Performers: Nidal Ayoub and Hashem Adnan
Participating performers: Molo, Sophie, Teresa and Miriam
Live music: Hadi Deaibes
Production and stage manager: Ahlam Dirani 
Scenography, lighting and technical direction: Nadim Deaibes
Director of Photography: Mark Khalife
Sound Engineer: George Abouzeid
Production Sound Mixer: Tatiana Dahdah
Editing: Majd Hamwi
Mixing: Hadi Deaibes
Videography: Majd Hamwi and Hashem Adnan
Translation: Saseen Kawzally
Communication Manager: Souad Abdallah
Visual and Graphic Production: Ghiath Ayoub and Nour Shammaa
Graphic design: Jana Traboulsi
Graphic production: Philippa Dahrouj


This performance is produced in partnership with the Legal Agenda, 
Supported by the International Labor Organization. 
Co-produced with Mansion. 


We wish to extend our thanks to Anti-Racism Movement, coalition of domestic workers in Lebanon, Saro, Indra, Abir Saksouk, Paul Achcar, Nadine Moawad, Ahmad Khouja, Farah Salka, Rahaf Dandash, Jad Melki, Ghaith el Amine, Ghassan Halwani, Sari Moustafa, Diala Chehade, Sarah Wansa, Ibrahim Dirani

Special thanks to Zoukak Cultural Association.

The opinions expressed in the script, and other contributions, are the sole responsibility of the writers, and the performance or publication of the script does not represent the ILO’s position.