Bringing a pool of talent under one roof, Iraq’s National Theatre Festival commences in Baghdad. The much-delayed event began on July 31 and goes on till August 7, has brought together a new generation of playwrights and thespians.

The event saw its inauguration at The National Theatre in Baghdad, which is being held in partnership with the Arab Theatre Organisation. Originally scheduled to take place at the end of 2019, the festival was postponed several times for a range of reasons, including the pandemic. The inaugural event was dedicated to late Iraqi theatre director and actor Sami Abdul Hamid, who died in 2019, aged 91 and the festival aims to resuscitate the country’s rich theatre tradition.

The signing of an agreement between the Iraqi Artists Union and the Arab Theatre Organisation (ATO) has put on several such national theatre festivals, in countries including Jordan and Yemen.

Theatre companies around the country will feature a total of 18 works as part of the festival. The shows will be held at the Semiramis Cinema, Najah Cinema, and Al Naqabah Theatre. Not just that, a few of the selected shows will also be streamed live on the festival organiser, The Arab Theatre Institute’s YouTube page.

Under the theme, ‘Theatre is Life’, all are being performed by local production houses. The event includes Karbala’s Al Serjah Theatre Group for the Blind whose Monday production, Over Rehearsal at Semiramis Cinema, explores the politics of running a drama troupe.

Al Najah Cinema —the city’s Youth Theatre Association will present Hala Khassa Jiddan (A Very Private Matter) by veteran Iraqi playwright Jawad Al Hasab.

Another highlight of the festival is Baghdad’s Masrah Al Mustaheel (The Impossible Theatre Company) present their version of Samuel Becket's Waiting for Godot.

There will also be an in-house conference titled ‘Theatre and the City’, held in association with the Cultural Centre at the University of Basra. An associated exhibition by theatre photographer Salah Al Qasab will also be held in the gallery space of The Iraqi Artist Syndicate headquarters in Baghdad.