HIBAPRESS-RABAT-MJCC
The 24th edition of the National Theater Festival opened in Tetouan, under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI.
The opening ceremony of this event took place in the presence of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the governor of the province of Tetouan, Abderzak El Manssouri, and the president of the commission Chinese scenographer, Yi Youlin, as well as several personalities from the world of art and culture, managers, elected officials and cultural actors.
It was punctuated by a vibrant tribute paid to several artists who have marked the Moroccan theater scene, namely Mohamed Choubi, Mohamed Derham, Hajria Amara, Zoubeir Ben Bouchta and Hassan Badida, in addition to the presentation of the jury of the official competition.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Bensaid underlined that Moroccan theater, which constitutes the driving force of other artistic disciplines and the beating heart of culture, benefits from high royal solicitude, in the same way as other forms of art and culture, noting that “theater, which is the mirror of society, addresses the different questions and concerns of Moroccans from various angles”.
The minister also indicated that the development of Moroccan theater has always been a priority, so that it is a source of inspiration for other arts, adding: “we have worked with actors and professionals to strengthen the bases of a solid cultural industry, which highlights Moroccan heritage, through what is called “Tamghrabit”, of which theater remains a key element, as a global creative ecosystem intended to support the transformations experienced our country”.
“Moroccan theater is considered internationally as a tool of cultural diplomacy to achieve positive results and export Moroccan culture abroad,” he said, affirming that Moroccan theater experiences an increase every year. remarkable development, and that the holding of this festival is an opportunity to salute the work of the theater troupes and all those involved. After recalling that this festival is intended to be an annual event aimed at celebrating Moroccan theater, playwrights and artists, Mr. Bensaid noted that the ministry ensures its sustainability, noting that this event also constitutes an opportunity to present the results of actions undertaken in this area and reflect on the future of Moroccan theater, through a rich and varied program of activities.
For his part, the artistic director of the festival, Mahmoud Chahdi, indicated that this edition places emphasis on the archives of Moroccan theater, through an approach focused on the book, while organizing intellectual conferences in the presence of critics, d experts and enthusiasts of Moroccan theater.
In a statement to MAP, Mr. Chahdi affirmed that this edition, like the previous ones, represents an opportunity to open up to street theater and the public of the city of Tetouan, to work on training workshops , and to offer young people the chance to present their first theatrical works.
For his part, the artist Mohamed Choubi expressed his joy at this tribute, which he shares with figures who have contributed so much to Moroccan theater, stressing that this initiative is an opportunity to celebrate all the generations of artists with whom he shared the stage.
As for the artist Mohamed Derham, he described this tribute as a “nice surprise”, welcoming the continuity of the national theater festival, an aspiration long desired by Moroccan cultural actors.
The jury for the official competition of the festival is composed of Ahmed Badri, Abdelkbir Rgagna, Bousarhane Zitouni, Azzedine Bounit, Fouad Azeroual, Amal Benayad and Asmaa Lekmani, while the selection committee for works in official competition includes Lahcen Nefali, Ahmed Tanich , Adil Mdih, Sidi Redouane Cherkaoui, Rafika Benmaimoun, Wassila Sabihi and Rahma Naji.
The program for this edition includes 12 plays, 4 street theater performances on Feddan Square in the center of Tetouan, 5 side shows in the “First Stage” section, as well as 5 performances at the Riyad Sultan theater in Tangier, in addition to signing sessions for theatrical publications.
This event will also be marked by an intellectual conference under the theme “The scenographer and the questions of theatrical creation in Morocco”, which will be divided into four sessions on “The relationship between the scenographer and the director”, “The relationship between the scenographer and the audience”, “The relationship between the scenographer and the writer” and “The relationship between the scenographer and the actor”.
