Arcola’s co-founder Leyla Nazli (Mare Rider, Silver Birch House) adapts Ece Temelkuran’s celebrated novel Women Who Blow on Knots for the stage, presenting a powerful tale of freedom, resilience, and unbreakable female friendships.
Set against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, we follow the journey of four remarkable women on a road trip starting from Tunisia through Libya and Egypt to Lebanon. Madame Lilla, a mysterious and glamorous chameleon, takes charge and leads revolutionaries Maryam and Amira; and Eve, a Turkish journalist, headfirst through an adventurous journey that changes the course of their lives.
As they traverse North Africa to the Middle East in a classic Cadillac, these women confront their pasts and form indestructible bonds, undeterred by the socio-political turmoil around them. This powerful adaptation celebrates the indomitable spirit of women who dare to unravel the knots of their destinies and weave new futures.
Nicole Ansari-Cox, Livia Arditti, Antonia Salib, Gamze Sanli, Öncel Camcı, Mercedes Assad, Sara Diab
Director Lerzan Pamir
Designer Neil Irish
Composer & Sound Designer Oğuz Kaplangı
Lighting Designer Richard Willliamson
Assistant Director Balım Kar
Movement Director Lucy Cullingford
Costume Supervisor & Assistant Designer Defne Ozdogan