Amman, Nov. 4 (Petra) - The curtain rises on the 30th Jordan Theatre Festival this Thursday at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman, ushering in nine days of performances and intellectual exchange celebrating the vitality of Arab theatre.

Culture Minister Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, who will inaugurate the festival, said the stage remains "the beating heart of culture and the essence of human creativity," reflecting the spirit and aspirations of societies. He noted that the Jordan Theatre Festival has evolved from a local artistic event into a cultural institution deeply embedded in the Arab artistic conscience, earning a reputation for excellence and creative vitality.

Under the festival’s banner, a constellation of veteran and emerging artists will share the stage, enriching the Arab theatrical scene through their work in playwriting, acting, directing, and stagecraft.

Festival Director and Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture Nidal Al-Ahmad said this year’s edition honors the late Jordanian actor Ashraf Telfah, whose commanding presence and sincerity in performance left an enduring mark on audiences and peers alike. "The tribute reflects our fidelity to his memory and artistic legacy," Al-Ahmad noted.

A highlight of the festival will be a symposium on movement expression in theatre, exploring its conceptual foundations, artistic evolution, and relationship to emotional and character development on stage. The sessions will feature leading academics and practitioners from across the Arab world, delving into both the aesthetic and philosophical dimensions of physical performance.

Performances will be staged at the Royal Cultural Center (8 p.m.) and the Al Hussein Cultural Center (6 p.m.), featuring productions from Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Tunisia, Kuwait, and Oman. The festival opens Friday with the Jordanian play "Khalfak Muna?ataf T?r?kh?" (A Historic Bend Behind You), followed by a diverse lineup tackling human and existential themes through varied schools of theatrical expression.

In addition to stage performances, the festival will present honorary awards to distinguished Arab artists, alongside specialized workshops and seminars that bring together a new generation of dramatists and theatre professionals.

Organized by the Ministry’s Directorate of Theatre and Visual Arts, the event’s steering committee includes Jordanian Artists Association President Mohammad Youssef Al-Abadi, Festival Director Abd Al-Karim Al-Jarrah, and prominent artists Abeer Issa, Iyad Shtaywi, Zaid Khalil Mustafa, and Mohammad Al-Momani.

The festival’s competitive awards will recognize excellence in writing, directing, acting, scenography, and overall production, with works that probe the human condition and the Arab psyche through innovative and emotionally charged storytelling.

//Petra// AA

04/11/2025 11:43:05