🎭 Dhofar International Theatre Festival Concludes Its Second Edition
The second edition of the Dhofar International Theatre Festival concluded on Tuesday in Oman’s Dhofar Governorate, with a large gathering of theatre professionals, critics, artists and audiences.
The closing ceremony was held at Al-Murooj Theatre in the presence of Dr. Ahmed bin Mohsen Al Ghasani, Mayor of Dhofar and Chairman of the festival’s Executive Committee, alongside a large number of participating artists and theatre professionals.
The festival continued for nine days, featuring a diverse selection of Omani, Gulf, Arab and international theatre productions across several competitive tracks.
🏆 “Special Care” Wins Best Integrated Production
In the Dhofar Theatre Competition track, Oman’s Al-Ruya Troupe won the Best Integrated Production award for the play “Special Care,” directed by Adi Al-Shanfari.
The production explores questions surrounding human vulnerability when the boundaries between truth and illusion become blurred, presenting a theatrical experience that allows audiences to consider different interpretations of its events and characters.
“Special Care” also received several individual awards, including Best Director for Adi Al-Shanfari, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Abdullah Marai, Best Supporting Actor for Hisham Saleh and Best Lighting for Omar Naji.
🇹🇳 “The Fugitives” Wins in the Elite Performances Track
In the Elite Performances track, the Tunisian production “The Fugitives” won the Best Integrated Production award.
The play is directed by Wafa Taboubi and presents an absurdist and psychological experience centered on six female characters who find themselves trapped in an enclosed space while attempting to escape harsh circumstances and everyday violence.
The award adds another notable recognition for Tunisian theatre within the festival’s international competition, which brought together productions from different theatrical backgrounds and traditions.
🇦🇪 “Darkness of the Soul” Wins in the Major Productions Track
In the Major Productions track, the Emirati play “Darkness of the Soul” received the Best Integrated Production award.
The production was written by Abdullah Ismail and directed by Abdelrahman Al-Mulla. It explores the depths of the human psyche through internal conflicts and questions surrounding fear, salvation, obedience and submission.
“Darkness of the Soul” presents a theatrical perspective focused on the individual’s inner struggle and earned the top production award within the festival’s Major Productions track.
📋 Jury Honors and Competition Results
The closing ceremony began with the playing of the Omani national anthem, followed by a tribute to the juries responsible for evaluating the productions across the festival’s three main competition tracks.
These tracks included the Dhofar Theatre Competition, Elite Performances and Major Productions, with participating works competing throughout the festival.
The jury results then moved through the individual awards, including categories such as Best Director, Best Set Design, Best Lighting, Best Costume Design and Best Script, as well as acting awards.
⭐ Celebrating Different Aspects of Theatre
The second edition featured a wide range of individual awards recognizing different aspects of theatrical production, from writing and directing to technical and acting achievements.
The award structure reflects the festival’s focus not only on complete productions, but also on the creative contributions that shape a theatrical experience.
The individual honors were announced before the festival revealed its three Best Integrated Production winners, with productions from Oman, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates taking the main awards.
🌍 Wide Arab and International Participation
The second edition of the Dhofar International Theatre Festival featured a broad selection of Arab, Gulf and international productions, creating significant diversity in theatrical approaches and styles.
Over nine days, audiences attended productions across the festival’s three main tracks before the competitions concluded with the announcement of the major awards.
The variety of participating productions reinforced the international character of the festival and its role in bringing different theatrical experiences together.
✨ Three Productions Crowned at the Festival Finale
The second edition concluded with “Special Care” from Oman, “The Fugitives” from Tunisia and “Darkness of the Soul” from the United Arab Emirates receiving the Best Integrated Production awards in the three competition tracks respectively.
The closing ceremony combined recognition of the winning productions with honors for the festival juries and participating artists after nine days of theatrical performances and activities.
The Dhofar International Theatre Festival therefore concluded its second edition with a program that brought together diverse theatrical experiences while celebrating both individual artistic achievements and complete productions.
💬 Which of the winning productions catches your attention most: “Special Care,” “The Fugitives” or “Darkness of the Soul”? 🎭🏆
