The New Arab Theatre Scene

The Theater an der Ruhr has cultivated close ties to Arab countries, and in particular Tunisia, for many years. As part of its international activities, the theatre has strengthened its focus on the Arab region in 2012 and 2013 with a theatre and performance festival titled The New Arab Theatre Scene. The festival in Mülheim featured productions from the region spanning Morocco to the Persian Gulf, initiated co-productions and encouraged directors to artistically explore controversial issues. The thematic focus of the festival has been the present status of Arab societies – ranging from the reform movements and the aspiration for Western-style consumption, from living traditions to the repeated rise of fundamentalist undercurrents. The accompanying programme featured concerts, joint workshops and a colloquium. A trilingual publication will also be produced in cooperation with the International Theatre Institute (ITI) and the Theater der Zeit Verlag. Not only will the publication present the invited artists at the festival, but also serve as a comprehensive reference work on theatre in the Arab world.

Artistic director: Rolf C. Hemke, Regie: Raeda Ghazaleh (PAL), Meriam Bousselmi (TN), Sawsa Darwaza (SY), Muhaned al Hadi (IQ), and others

Mülheim an der Ruhr, Theater an der Ruhr, 24 Oct. - 28 Oct. 2012
Sunday, 28 October 2012, 12 pm, symposium and matinée: Rolf C. Hemke discussed the situation in Syria and Tunisia with artists and festival guests (in the lobby)