• Ministry of Culture launches the 30th edition of the Jordan Theatre Festival with local and Arab participation
• The festival features theatrical performances, workshops, intellectual seminars, and honors the late artist Ashraf Telfah

Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Culture, Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, the 30th edition of the Jordan Theatre Festival will open at the Royal Cultural Center on Thursday evening, continuing until the evening of the 14th of this month

On the occasion of the festival’s new edition, the Minister of Culture emphasized that theatre remains the beating heart of culture and the essence of human creativity reflecting the spirit and aspirations of societies. He noted that the Jordanian Theatre Festival is no longer a mere artistic event but has become a cultural landmark in the Arab artistic movement, earning a strong reputation and achieving a notable presence in the Arab theatre scene. He added that the festival brings together both veteran and young creative talents who continue to enrich the stage through their work in writing, acting, directing, and other theatrical arts

The Secretary-General and head of the festival’s organizing committee, Dr. Nidal Al-Ahmad, highlighted the importance of honoring the late Jordanian artist Ashraf Telfah, celebrating his legacy and significant artistic contributions

Dr. Al-Ahmad also noted the significance of the festival’s intellectual seminar, focusing on the concept, history, and development of physical expression in theatre, exploring its techniques, the connection to character building and emotions, and discussing contemporary theatre issues from the perspective of physical expression

The festival, which presents performances at 8 PM at the Royal Cultural Center and 6 PM at the Hussein Cultural Center, is organized by the Directorate of Theatre and Visual Arts and features distinguished local and Arab participation

The festival includes honoring prominent artists, an intellectual seminar, and a specialized workshop, with participation from Jordanian and Arab theatre professionals

The organizing committee is headed by Secretary-General Dr. Nidal Al-Ahmad and includes: artist Abdelkarim Al-Jarrah (festival director), artist Abeer Issa, artist Eyad Shatnawi, artist Zaid Khalil Mustafa, and artist Mohammed Al-Momani

Honoring the late artist Ashraf Telfah

The festival honors the late Jordanian artist Ashraf Telfah, a prominent figure in Jordanian drama, known for his strong presence and authentic performances that touched audiences. He graduated from Yarmouk University – Faculty of Fine Arts in Drama and began a prolific career in theatre and television

Telfah participated in numerous Jordanian and Arab theatrical works, portraying diverse characters that reflected his artistic depth and cultural experience, including plays such as Endgame, The Wool Merchant’s Rituals, Echo of the Desert, and Three Audible Sorrows. He also participated in several Arab theatre festivals, including the Jordan Theatre Festival, Carthage Theatre Days, Cairo Experimental Festival, and Baghdad Festival

Colleagues remember him for his artistic excellence and high moral standards; he was a model artist committed to his society and country. Telfah passed away in November 2022, leaving a lasting artistic and human legacy

Festival performances

The festival opens on the 7th of this month with the Jordanian play Behind You, a Historical Turn on the main stage at the Royal Cultural Center

On the 8th, the Jordanian play The Road and the Wolf will be staged at the Hussein Cultural Center, alongside the Syrian play Numb at the main stage of the Royal Cultural Center

On the 9th, the Saudi play Light will be presented on the main stage at the Royal Cultural Center

On the 10th, the Jordanian play Savage will be staged at the Hussein Cultural Center, alongside the Moroccan play Ecstasia at the main stage of the Royal Cultural Center

On the 11th, the Iraqi play The Other Day will be presented at the Hussein Cultural Center, alongside the Tunisian play Othello and Beyond at the main stage of the Royal Cultural Center

On the 12th, the Kuwaiti play Monkey’s Claw will be presented on the main stage at the Royal Cultural Center

On the 13th, the Omani play Legend of the Frankincense Tree will be staged at the Hussein Cultural Center, alongside the Jordanian play Broken at the main stage of the Royal Cultural Center

Festival intellectual seminar

The festival’s seminar, titled Physical Expression in Theatrical Performance: Issues and Perspectives, opens on the morning of the 8th with a session led by Dr. Adnan Al-Mashaqbeh, focusing on the concept of physical expression in theatre. Participants include Professor Muzafar Al-Tayyib from Iraq discussing The Actor’s Physical Performance in Dance Drama (Choreography) on Stage, and Dr. Nofal Al-Azara from Tunisia on Physical Expression Between Rigidity and Flow from an Actor’s Perspective

The second session addresses Basic Physical Expression Skills for Theatre Actors, featuring Dr. Makhlad Al-Zyoudi and Dr. Majd Al-Qasas from Jordan discussing physical expression and its historical and contemporary significance

On the 9th, the seminar continues with Dr. Yahya Al-Bashtawi leading a session on Applications of Physical Expression in Different Theatrical Genres, with participation from Karima Badr (Egypt) and Nora Murad (Syria)

The final session explores Aesthetics of Physical Expression in Theatre, with contributions from Abdelmajid Ahri (Morocco) and Dr. Abdullah Al-Aabar (Kuwait)

Historical context

Participating plays will compete for awards including Best Script, Director, Actor, Actress, Scenography, and Best Overall Performance. Themes focus on human and personal issues, interpreted through various approaches by Jordanian and Arab playwrights and directors

The festival, organized annually by the Ministry of Culture, features local and Arab theatrical works. It held its first edition in 1991 and the twelfth in 2004. Since the ninth edition in 2001, Arab works have competed officially for festival awards, alongside parallel performances, the main intellectual seminar, and critical discussions for each participating play. The festival aims to foster dialogue between Jordanian and Arab theatre practitioners to advance the regional theatrical movement