From the 15th to the 22nd of July, the Marrakchis assisted to the first Festival of Theatre of Marrakesh. This event was organised in the honour of Moulay Abdelwahed Hassanine, one of the oldest theatre man of the Ochre City. But this first edition ended in a not very good and not very bad final note, but it is often like this for the first edition.

A absent audience…
We begin to see a new movement in Marrakesh, the public is less and less present to cultural manifestations in the city. We have already see this during the Festival of Popular Arts, the Marrakchis want to attract attention by their absence ! But what happens to the City ? Nevertheless, the Ochre City is well known for its folk, for its different troupes on the Jemaa el Fna square. Is this the result of a lack of communication, or a bad communication or is the public no more convince by the cultural activities of the City. Anyway, it seems that we have to find a solution…

Latifa Aharrar (Moroccan actress)
" The Festival is part of the great dynamism of the Ochre City, cradle of the Moroccan theatre. It is also a great occasion for Moroccan artists and international ones to meet themselves each other. For what concerns our theatre play " les mots croisés ", the story is about a civil servant and its every day problems. It is in fact, the memories of a civil servant who has some money problems and to face to its familial obligations which become harder ".

Abdel Ilah Namrouche (General Secretary of the Syndicate for Moroccan Artists of Marrakech)
"The festival is undoubtedly a following to others cultural events of Marrakesh. But we say that it is the first because we are looking to have a new strategy of partnership between the different intervening parties in this sector in the aim of creating new theatre principles and traditions which will be more communicative for the Marrakchis public. The absence of audience is due to the lack of working strategy and the absence of a continue theatre practice which would contribute the public to follow more the cultural events.
Concerning the future of the theatre in Marrakesh, I will say that it is difficult to foresee. But it is sure that we need to create a lot of stage and professional formations for the Marrakchis artists to help them to have more capacities of working and creation".

Moulay Abdelwahed Hassanine
" It is a pleasure to see this young people who pay attention to the history of the theatre of Marrakesh. I have plaid theatre since the years thirty. Today, I always feel the echoes of the public applause's in my ears. But my big joy is to be with you and to see all this theatre plays which are all interesting. I thank you your intention to an old propping of the cultural movement like me. Good luck to everybody ".

Taib Sadiki
Even though everybody was waiting impatiently the meeting with the great Taib Sadiki which was announced by the organisation during this festival, the public was very surprise to heard by a small message that the artist will be absent. Here is also a negative point and a big deception for the public but also for the organisation.

Nomination
The serious is always paying. During the ending evening, the organisations wanted to give awards to different artists like Simsima, who have distinguished themselves by their interpretation, to script writers like Abdellah el Mouaoui and producers. The idea was very touching and encourage this artists to follow to give their best to receive this award.

We wish that this first edition will not be the last one and that the public will be aware of the importance of such a event which contribute to communicate but also to transmit a part of its patrimony. But is it not necessary to begin to educate the youngest to cultural activities in school…

Ahmed MARDAT