About — The Book Room

The Book Room is a podcast and event series featuring writers whose works have contributed to decolonizing literature.

Hosted by Samah Sabawi

Dr Samah Sabawi is an author, playwright, commentator and poet who wages ‘beautiful resistance’ through her art and her work. A recipient of multiple awards both nationally and internationally, Sabawi’s theatre credits include the critically acclaimed plays Tales of a City by the Sea and THEM. She is also co-editor of Double Exposure: Plays of the Jewish and Palestinian Diasporas, winner of the Patrick O’Neill award and co-author of I Remember My Name: Poetry by Samah Sabawi, Ramzy Baroud and Jehan Bseiso, edited by Dr. Vacy Vlazna, winner of the Palestine Book Award.

Technical Production by Justyn Koh

Justyn Koh is a Singaporean lens-based artist based in Australia. In 2014, he exhibited in his first showcase as part of Footscray Community Arts Centre’s Emerging Cultural Leaders program. Since migrating to Australia, he has documented numerous productions across venues such as La Mama Theatre and Arts Centre Melbourne. Justyn is also a trained Primary school teacher who employs an evidence-based clinical approach to teaching. In 2018, he assisted in the development of Design and Technology rubrics for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, in partnership with the University of Melbourne. He occasionally dabbles in narrative non-fiction writing and lives with his cat Kafka, who may, or may not be plotting to take over the world.

Artwork and Social Media by Lara Chamas

Lara Chamas is a second-generation Lebanese, Australian artist, based in Naarm (Melbourne). Her practice investigates subtopics of postcolonial and migrant narratives, specifically within the context of her cultural identity, using both humorous and poetic notions. Currently a completing her Masters by research in Fine Art at Monash University, through the use of narrative and experience documentation, storytelling, transgenerational trauma and memory, myth and tacit knowledge; her research intends to explore links and meeting points between narrative theory, cultural practice, current political and societal tensions, and the body as a political vessel.

Produced by Lara Week

Lara Week is a designer for performance and creative producer. From 2011 Lara was associate producer for Tribal Soul Arts, working with Patrice Naiambana to produce decolonial arts programs and performances in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Netherlands, UK, and Australia. Her design credits include two seasons of Samah Sabawi’s award-winning play Tales Of A City By The Sea, which she co-produced in 2016 with Daniel Clark and toured to Adelaide, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur. In 2019 she produced and designed the premiere season of Samah Sabawi’s play THEM at La Mama Courthouse, directed by Bagryana Popov. THEM was nominated for four Green Room Awards, including Best Independent Production, and was remounted in 2021 as part of the VCE Drama Playlist.