The curtain fell on Saturday, November 29, 2025, for the 26th edition of the Carthage Theatre Days (Journées Théâtrales de Carthage, JTC), concluding a week-long celebration of theatre that filled venues across Tunis. The festival, which opened on November 22, featured a rich program spanning official competition entries, world theatre, Arab and African shows, Tunisian creations, and the socially engaged “Theatre of Freedom.”
The closing ceremony, held at the Opera Theatre of the Chedly Klibi City of Culture and broadcast live on national television, blended artistry with recognition. The evening opened with the national anthem, followed by a performance titled Al Masrah (The Theatre) by actor Chawki Khouja and dancer Oumaima Manai. Festival director Mohamed Mounir Argui addressed the audience, reaffirming the event’s mission to celebrate creation and unite people through theatre. He noted the closing coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, underscoring Tunisia’s steadfast support for the cause.
Homages and Awards for Theatre Luminaries
The ceremony paid tribute to major figures of Tunisian theatre. Honorees included scholar and former drama institute director Mohamed Massoud Idriss, iconic actor Abdelhamid Ben Ghayass, celebrated actress Leila Toubel, and living legend of municipal theatre, Aziza Boulabiaar.
Theatre of Freedom: Art Behind Bars
A highlight was the awards ceremony for the “Theatre of Freedom” program, a unique initiative run in partnership with the General Directorate of Prisons and Rehabilitation since 2017. It enables inmates and youth in rehabilitation centers to present their creations on stage. Among 16 selected works, top honors went to productions from the El Mourouj rehabilitation center (Une vie sans addiction) and the Borj Erroumi civil prison (Sadd Aakel). The Tunisian National Journalists’ Union awarded its freedom of expression prize to Znous by Salah Hamouda.
Official Competition Winners
An international jury unveiled the winners of the festival’s prestigious official competition, which featured 12 shows from 11 countries. The top award, the Golden Tanit, was awarded to the Tunisian production Les fugueuses (The Runaways) by Wafa Taboubi, which also won best text and best female performance for Lobna Noomane. The Silver Tanit went to Iraq’s Le Mur (The Wall), which also earned best scenography, while Tunisia’s Jacaranda by Nizar Saiidi took the Bronze Tanit. Best male performance was awarded to Egypt’s Ahmed Abou Zid for Chute libre (Free Fall).
A Festival of Diverse Stages
Beyond the awards, the JTC showcased a vast array of theatre. A dedicated and expanded children’s theatre section presented works tackling themes from family dynamics to ecology, aiming to foster early artistic and emotional education.
The “Theatre of the World” segment featured international highlights. A contemporary Armenian adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s Boule de Suif by Narine Grigoryan combined animation, silent film techniques, and live performance to critique social hypocrisy. Another powerful entry was À bout de sueurs (Drenched in Sweat), co-directed by Guinean Hakim Bah and French Diane Chavelet. Inspired by the true story of two stowaway teenagers, the play used repetitive, poetic text and live music to explore the tragic dimensions of migration, familial rupture, and societal pressures.
The 26th JTC solidified its role as a vital platform for theatrical innovation, social dialogue, and pan-African and Arab cultural exchange, leaving a resonant final note for the 2025 season.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Douha Essaafi)
