Dramaturgy AcademyMamdouh Hamadeh
Screenwriter, Journalist & Instructor in Dramatic Writing — Dramaturgy Academy
A Syrian journalist and screenwriter born in 1959 in the Golan Heights, holding a PhD in Journalism from the University of Minsk. Known across Arab drama as "the architect of black comedy," his work does more than provoke laughter — it dissects social and political reality with a surgeon's precision. His best-known television credits include Diaa Dayaa (2008–2010), Al-Kharabeh (2011), and Mabrouk (2001).
Works
Articles
- The Art of Building a Dramatic Character
How do you make a character of flesh and blood on paper? A journey into dramatic psychology and the three dimensions of character.
- Directing: Seeing Beyond the Text
The director is not merely an executor, but a script's second author. A study of the contemporary director's tools and how to use them.
- A Reading of Syd Field's Screenplay
A comprehensive review of screenwriting's most influential reference book, and a look at its classic three-act paradigm.
- Black Comedy in Arab Drama
An analysis of how tragedy is enlisted to produce laughter, with examples from enduring dramatic works that exposed the unspoken with a smile.
- Writing Dialogue That Breathes
Why does some dialogue read as wooden while other dialogue breathes? Practical notes on writing dialogue that lives.
Literature
- I Was a Spy
A jailed conscript finds a novel with its pages torn out, and spends a lifetime searching for the ending of an Indian rebel's story.
- O Unjust One
A love poem by Mamdouh Hamadeh (2003): a love as plain as a stab in the flank and as lasting as forever.
- Europa
A short poem by Mamdouh Hamadeh that retells the myth of the abduction of Europa.
- The Last Night
A poem by Mamdouh Hamadeh about a last night, and the tale of Aladdin and the magic lamp.
- A Word
A poem by Mamdouh Hamadeh about a word that means all things, and that he has not yet found.
- A Rendezvous
A short poem by Mamdouh Hamadeh about the missing moment at which we are to meet.
Works
- Diaa Dayaa
The iconic comedy that chronicled the life of the fictional village of Umm al-Tanafes al-Fouqa with sharp, deeply observant satire.
- Al-Kharabeh
A social comedy tracking the feud between the Bou Qa'qour and Bou Malha families, dissecting the structure of traditional society.
- Mabrouk
One of the earliest works to spotlight bureaucracy and social transformation with a critical eye.
- Al-Tawarid
A comic Bedouin series about two foundlings raised by the whole Tawarid tribe, now rivals for Wadha's love.
Arts
- City Lights from Above
A city's streets weave a golden web of light through the dark, seen from an aeroplane window at night.
- Mountains from the Air
A copper-toned mountain range dusted with snow, as it looks from high above.
- Ducks on the River
Ducks swimming on grey water that mirrors the coloured houses of the opposite bank.
- The Crow Takes Off
A hooded crow spreads its dark wings the instant it leaves the ground.
- Stone Stairs
An old stone staircase climbing toward an opening flooded with light between ivy-covered walls.
- Boat and Green Water
A red boat at the dock, and beneath it a green mirror redrawing the surrounding towers.
Library
- Diaa Dayaa — Episode One
The original script of the series' first episode, introducing the people of Umm al-Tanafes al-Fouqa.
- Al-Kharabeh — Episode Ten
The script for the episode covering Abu Qa'qour and Abu Malha's feud over the mukhtar's seat.
Courses
- Screenwriting & Scene Acting
A complete 50-lesson course in screenwriting and scene acting with Mamdouh Hamadeh — from the first idea to the filmed scene.