RECEPTION AND SEMIOTICS IN THE PLAY “THE STATION DOES NOT LEAVE” BY FAHD AL HARITHI.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the mechanisms of reception and semiotic systems in the play "The Station Does Not Depart" through two primary frameworks; reception theory, which focuses on text-reader interaction in meaning production via the implied reader, and semiotics as a methodology to uncover symbolic and sign layers within the text. The play highlight's existential themes tied to waiting and isolation, positioning the "station" as a central semiotic space reflecting human crisis and struggles with time and place.

Through semiotic analysis, the connotations of symbols (e.g., the suitcase, train, repetitive dialogues) and their relationship to narrative structure are revealed. Simultaneously, the receptive approach underscores the implied reader’s role in decoding the theatrical discourse based on their cultural and social context. The study demonstrates how the play employs semantic shifts and paradoxes to decode symbols, enabling pluralistic interpretations through the lens of theimplied reader and semiotic analysis

The findings conclude that Al-Harithi merges aesthetic form with philosophical depth, leveraging the semiotic potential of theater (e.g., scenography, lighting) to enhance the dialogue between the text’s symbols/signs and the recipient—embodied by theimplied reader, who aligns with and interacts with semiotic layers.