Carthage Theatre Days opens

For the first time in its history, Journées théâtrales de Carthage (JTC – Carthage Theatre Days) crosses the borders of its namesake, the country’s artistic capital — located within the city of Tunis, moving to Sfax, Le Kef, Gafsa and Medenine. According to Wahid Essafi, the director of JTC, speaking at a press conference, such expansion to new locations is intended as a step towards the decentralization of artistic activities. This year, the festival focuses on the 1st anniversary of Tunisian Jasmine Revolution. Over 50 professional Tunisian troupes will participate in JTC, with ten of them performing plays for the youngest audience. In addition, six independent-amateur troupes were selected to participate in the festival. A number of Arab troupes will also perform — they hail from Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Jordan, Libya, Algeria, UAE, Iraq, Lebanon and Kuwait — while European participation will feature troupes from France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. The festival will include a symposium on the theme “What is the future of Tunisians and Arabs in post-revolution reality: aesthetics, testimonials and horizons”. A workshop moderated by Ezzedine Gannoun, the Tunisian theatre specialist from Belgium, will discuss challenges and solutions in playwriting today.