As part of the “Laughter Week” Festival activities in the Amman Summer Festival 2009, which was organized by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), contestant Sanad Haddadeen qualified to participate in the closing ceremony and to participate in the amateur comedy competition.
Haddadeen’s success occurred on the second day of the “Laughter Week” Festival which was held at the Amphitheater at Al Hussein Park, after presenting a number of humorous skits and impersonating famous singers, based on audience voting and the judging panel which comprised artists Amal Al Dabbas, Majd Al Qasas, and ‘Emad Hajjaj.
The second day of “Laughter Week” included comedy shows, funny skits, and impersonations of stars, performed respectively by Arab comedy artists Medhat Barakat and his music band, and M’utasem Attallah from Egypt.
Concluding the day’s activities was a political comedy play entitled “The American Experience,” by Jordanian artist Mahmoud Saymeh, and his co-stars, ‘Othman Al Shamaileh, Sa’ad Al Deen ‘Attieh, Ilham Abdullah, Ghadeer ‘Odeh, and M’utasem Al Beik.
The play portrays, in a sarcastic and comic way, American support of Israel and its vow to preserve the latter’s security, depicting the reality of Arab expatriates in the United States after September 11.
“The American Experience” has two main characters, a Palestinian and a Jordanian, who meet at an American investigations bureau in New York, where they undergo tremendous pressure to change their national identity, and deny their Arab and Islamic heritage.
From another angle, amidst the cheers and cries of thousands in the audience, at the Main Stage of Al Hussein Park, Jordanian singer and Star Academy celebrity Yahya Sweis gave a concert that lit up that night at the Amman Summer Festival.
During the concert which the audience sang along to the music, Sweis performed a number of national, sentimental, and Arab songs (especially Lebanese).
Sweis sang “Ya Urdun Irf’a Rasak, Meen Ba’adak ‘Ani, Inqada Al Mishwar, Shabab Ghanou, Min Ba’ad Ma La’etek, Habeebi Rouh, Ya Reitek Jarti, Sab’a ‘Araes, ‘Uter Al Rouh, Tab Al Maghna, Duqou Al Heil, and Bein Al Nas.”
It is worth mentioning that Sweis is known for singing in a Lebanese accent at his performances in various concerts and festivals, and that he has numerous works with local and Arab artists.
Sweis has also participated in a number of the Kingdom’s national holiday celebrations, and Jordanian festivals including the National Jordanian Song and Jordan Song 2005 where he won first place, in addition to participating in Nujoum Al ‘Arab TV program on MBC.
Art bands and cartoon characters continued with their child-oriented programs at the designated children’s area, including such activities as face-painting, cartoon characters, performances by a magician and clowns, tele-match games, a puppet theater, balloon shaping, and “Hikayat Amo Shadi” show. Also on the program was the “Hikayat Simsim” show that aims at spreading different messages, such as avoiding violence, accepting others, respecting individuals, and solving differences peacefully, in addition to developing children’s personalities.
Audiences were also regaled with a concert by Jordanian singer Tony Qattan on the Main Stage and a performance by the GAM Band for Popular Arts. For the duration of “Laughter Week,” activities took place at the Amphitheater.
The Amman Summer Festival 2009 which kicked off on July 8 and ended on July 24 was concluded with a concert by Jordanian singer Hussein Al Salman on the Main Stage. “Laughter Week,” on the other hand, ended with the announcement of the winners in the amateur comedy competition that was organized by GAM for the second consecutive year.