Kuwait Theatre Festival is an important event for cultural movements in the Arab region, Kuwait’s Minister of Information and Culture Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said on Thursday.

This festival is a tribute to creative achievements, contributes to theatrical development and acts as a platform to highlight the role of the theatre in building nations, the minister, also State Minister for Youth and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) said in an opening speech at the event’s 22nd edition.

He heaped praise on the regional reputation the Kuwaiti theatrical movement has earned throughout the years, which, he said, extends to the twenties of the last century, describing it as a “cumulative effort” that reflects the state’s interest in it and as a source for “cultural diplomacy.” The minister handed out awards to a number of theatremakers, including renowned actors Ibrahim Al-Harbi and Samir Al-Qallaf, in honour of their contributions to the artform.

The opening ceremony included a theatrical performance about the history of theatre in the Gulf country.

This year’s event, which concludes on October 29, is hosting several theatrical productions, namely “Hybrid” by the Ait Company for Artistic and Theatrical Production, “Let’s Drink Coffee” by the Youth Theater Group and “Tahira” by the Arab Gulf Theater Troupe.

Others include “Please Have Dinner” by the Kuwaiti Theater Group, “Leukemia” by the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, “Mardin” by the Folk Theater Group and “Ajab State” by Galbot Company for Artistic and Theatrical Productions.

It also includes two debates on the impact of intellectual debate on theatrical research and the impact of applied debates on theatrical performance alongside two workshops on street theatre and abstract art

Source: Kuwait News Agency