JAD EL HAGE
Roger Antoine
Place of birth : Beirut – Lebanon
Date of birth : 1946
Email
: [email protected]
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Degrees
International College accountancy diploma 1966
English as foreign language, Cambridge course 1982
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Journalism
First articles on Literature and Theater published 1968
• An-Nahar –Lissan Alhal, Al Jadid
Beirut, Lebanon
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First radio position
• The beginning of the Talk Show
Lebanon’s National Radio
December 1968
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First assignment abroad
• The student revolution in Paris
Spring 1968
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Traveling Reporter
• An-Nahar, Al-Jadid
1968 – 1972
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Editor
• An-Nahar – regional news
1973 – 1975
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Features Editor
• Ad Dastour – weekly magazine – Lebanon
1975 – 1977
• Ad Dastour – weekly magazine – London, UK
1977 – 1982
• Al Hayat – Newspaper – London, Beirut.
1991 - 2011
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Theater critic
• BBC – Arabic service – London, UK
1977 – 1982
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Senior editor
• Harlequin Arab World – Athens, Greece
1982 –1985
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Publications
• First poems published in An-Nahar and Lisan al Hal
1966 – 1967
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Poetry collections
• “The Train of Coincidence” Dar Alkateb Alarabi/ Beirut
1973
• “26 Poems” Dar Annahar/ Beirut
1979
• “The Third Book” Dar Majallat Shi’r/ Beirut
1981
• “One of These” Fire Thief Publications/ Athens
1984
• “Darej” (vernacular prose and poetry)/ Sydney
1990
“Khamsa” Dar Assurat/ London
1993
• “When… and her Sisters”/ Bissan/Beirut
1996
• 30 TALES , Bissan, Beirut
2011
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Short stories
• “Our Lady of the Rocks”/ Sydney
1989
• “Thirty Tales”/ Bissan/ Beirut
2011
Novels in Arabic
• “The Green and the Dry”/ Smiley Publications/Sydney
1987
Novels in English
• “The Last Migration” Panache Books/Sydney
2002
• “The Myrtle Tree” Banipal/ London
2007
• “One Day in April” Quartet/London
2011
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Plays
• “The Trial of the Almond Merchant” Festival Deir Elkal’a
1976
• “Pigeon Flight” Sydney-Almoultaca
1991
• “The Chair” (adapted from the French by Paul Andre Antoine)
1999
• “Bint Asl” (one woman show based on Medea; Theatre Monot/
Beirut)
2002
• “A Wedding and a Funeral” (musical)
2011
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Details
Journalism & Publishing
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Between 1966 and 1968 I was learning journalism from the bottom
up; working part time as proof reader for Lissan Elhal, while
writing articles under the supervision and guidance of Adonis and
Said Akl who were part of editorial team at the time.
In 68: Paris: First assignment for Annahar; living in the middle of
the action, in a small hotel up rue Gay Lussac; I had the chance to
witness and report on la revolution des etudiants field interviewing
Aragon, Sartre, Bendit and others.
From Paris I flew to Chicago for two weeks where I reported on
the drug soaked Beat generation, translating parts of Bob Dylan’s
songs and Ginsberg’s poetry. I also wrote for Annahar’s weekly
supplement about the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King, Elijah
Mohammed, and Malcolm X.
At the end of 68 I began with Raymond Jbara the first direct talk
show in Lebanon’s National Radio while still freelancing for
Annahar.
Back on the road across Europe, I continued writing for both
Annahar’s weekly supplement and Aljadid weekly magazine,
mainly on theatre, books and the arts.
1973 Annahar began publishing Nahar Almanatek, it assigned
me full time to roam the heartland, reporting and interviewing.
1975 Nahar Almanatek ceased publication due to the civil unrest.
I took the position of feature editor at Addastour weekly magazine
and traveled with it in 1977 first to Paris then to London where we
remained an offshore publication until 1982, covering cultural
events throughout Europe and the Arab world including cinema,
theatre festivals, art exhibitions, and various conferences.
BBC Arab world Radio broadcasted my theatre coverage during
that period.
In 1983 I became Senior Editor of Harlequin Arab World, in
Athens. We published popular romantic and historic books for a
trans-Arab readership translated from English. This venture marked
the first and last advanced commercial book publishing in the Arab
world, rotating 16 books every month and covering the entire map
of the Arab world. It ended when Saudi censorship banned the
books cutting 44% of the company’s sales in one blow.
End 1985, I immigrated with my family to Australia. From there I
continued writing for various publications, mainly Annahar. But
concentrated on finishing a novel, a selection of short stories, and a
book of vernacular poetry and prose. (above mentioned)
Back to London in 1991, I took Alhayat’s offer as features editor.
Until 2000 I covered Asia, Africa, Europe living in a suitcase,
concentrating on cultural events, especially in Iraq, Tunisia,
Morocco, and Europe.
In 2001 Alhayat moved most of its staff to Beirut where I
continued writing, reporting, and editing a weekly supplement,
until February 2011.
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