Following a rich journey of creativity, ten theatrical productions from various cities and regions of Saudi Arabia are preparing to participate in the final stop of the Riyadh Theatre Festival. This festival has showcased remarkable performances from distinguished Saudi teams, whose stars shined during the preliminary performance tour, as their artists excelled on stage in anticipation of the season's final act, which began last June. The aim is to support local Saudi theatrical production and to launch a theatrical event that enhances the presence of Saudi playwrights, while discovering and honing promising talents.
The Theatre and Performing Arts Authority announced the names of the ten theatrical productions qualified to participate in the festival's competition, which will take place from December 13 to 24 at the Princess Nourah bint Abdul Rahman University Conference Center in Riyadh. This follows the conclusion of 20 nominated plays vying for entry into the festival's official competition in its inaugural edition.
The festival's president, artist Abdul Ilah Al-Sinani, extended his greetings and congratulations to the winning productions and the teams that qualified for the finals of the first Riyadh Theatre Festival, after a phase of initial performances and competition aimed at presenting attractive cultural products to the audience that align with the objectives of the Theatre and Performing Arts Authority in Saudi Arabia and the national cultural strategy. Al-Sinani praised all participants for their effort and competition in presenting unique and creative texts, through which a group of distinguished Saudi actors shone, wishing that everyone would have greater visibility in future festival editions.
Over 26 days of theatrical performances, the names of the ten qualified plays for the Riyadh Festival's competition, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, include "Bahr" by the Cultural and Arts Association in Al-Ahsa, "Al-Hijr" by Al-Qafza Al-Oula Club, "Talitah Hijar" by Kloz Media, "Safa'a" by Kalous Group, "Memory of the Devil" by Ruya Group, "Light" by Taif Theatre, "Newspaper Seller" by Fan Box Group, "Yellow Memory" by Nuwras Group, "Closed Roundabout" by Masma Theatre Club, and "The Last Shadow" by Al-Watan Theatre Group.
Over the course of 26 days, these theatrical productions performed in eight cities across the Kingdom: Riyadh, Al-Ahsa, Dammam, Qatif, Taif, Jeddah, Hafr Al-Batin, and Qassim, after being selected by the authority to begin the performance phase due to their superiority over other submitted productions, thus allowing these ten plays to reach the final stage of the festival.
The Theatre and Performing Arts Authority stated that the ten qualifying plays for the festival’s official competition will be presented to the public, alongside a ceremony of recognition during the festival, where winners in categories such as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Playwright, Best Director, Best Overall Play, Best Lighting Design, Best Scenography, Best Makeup, Best Costumes, Best Music, and Best Set Design will be announced and honored.
The theatre and performing arts sector has witnessed exceptional growth since the launch of "Vision 2030," which pays significant attention to the cultural scene in Saudi Arabia. It has started to transform the theatrical movement through the establishment of a national theatre and the launching of various activities and initiatives presented by the Theatre and Performing Arts Authority to encourage and elevate the sector.
A report on the cultural situation in Saudi Arabia released last October revealed that supported institutional production in Saudi Arabia, along with the expansion of cultural seasons and festivals, has positively impacted the level of theatrical and performance production. In 2022, around 150 theatrical performances, 241 performance shows, and 36 children's theatre performances were held, indicating growth in cultural production within Saudi Arabia.
The Riyadh Theatre Festival aims to activate the Saudi theatrical movement through a series of Saudi theatrical performances, supporting local theatrical production. The festival will also host cultural events to commemorate the late Saudi artist Mohammed Al-Othaim for his pioneering contributions, showcasing a play he authored, as well as holding an art exhibition dedicated to his artistic journey, along with several activities to celebrate him, including seminars, critical readings, and a workshop focusing on theatre arts and skill development for theatre practitioners, in addition to a performance of an international play.
