Tetouan: 26th National Theatre Festival puts young companies in the spotlight

Young professional companies dominate the official competition of the 26th National Theatre Festival, under way in Tetouan under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

Ten plays are competing this year, down from twelve last time. Festival director Yassin Ahijam put the drop down to a thinner crop of new productions at the start of the season.

Several contenders are appearing in the competition for the first time, among them writers and directors. “Cerclage” was written by Mohamed Amine Atrarwa and directed by Rabie Ben Jahil al-Tadawi, with scenography by Yassin Bra’eesh. Khaled Azouichi, taking part for the third year running, directs “Al Bahriya wal Raddad”, written by Hamid al-Talbi with scenography by Aya Harush.

“Dabab” brings together young names known from film and television: written by Ayoub Abu al-Nasr and directed by Mariam al-Za’imi, with scenography by Abd al-Hay al-Saghrounchi. Playwright Ahmed al-Sabi’a wrote “Amr”, directed by Youssef al-Aroubi.

Amine Boudriqua, a previous winner of the national prize, wrote, directed and designed “Three Eyes and a Cat”. Casablanca director Sami Saadallah presents “Sah Zine”, written by Abd al-Majid Saadallah with scenography by Yassin al-Zawi. Mohamed Amine al-Sahel, already a past winner of the competition, returns with “Dalam”, while veteran director Amine Nassour stages “Al Masaad”, designed by Tariq al-Rabi’.

Alongside the competition, the festival is honouring first- and second-generation pioneers of Moroccan theatre with an exhibition of busts, led by the late al-Tayyib al-Siddiqui, Abd al-Samad al-Kanfawi, Thuraya Gibran, Naeema al-Mashriqi and al-Tayyib al-Alaj. Its central symposium looked at the growing use of new technologies on stage, chief among them video mapping.

The winners will be announced at the closing ceremony this evening, Friday 23 October, by a jury headed by Abderrahmane Ben Zidane.