After a packed month of theatre and dance, organisers of the Avignon Festival are preparing for their final evening on Tuesday. Attendance was strong for the 77th edition, held under new director Tiago Rodrigues.
Organisers of the Festival'Avignon announced a "total attendance forecast" of "114,600 entries" compared to 105,260 in 2022. In other words, a "94 percent attendance rate" for paid entries.
The 2023 edition took place over 21 days - one day more than in 2022 - for the first time under the leadership of new director Tiago Rodrigues from Portugal, who succeeded Olivier Py (2013-2022).
This 77th edition is notable for the fact that 56 percent of the projects were directed or co-directed by a woman, two of whom were chosen for the opening night on 5 July.
In "Welfare", Julie Deliquet, director of the Théâtre Gérard Philipe-Centre Dramatique de Saint-Denis, shined the spotlight on those in the margins of society. A realist performance held in the prestigious courtyard of the Palais des Papes.
In a moveable feast, hip-hop choreographer Bintou Dembélé made performers and spectators wander through the streets, finishing up at the Opera house for her performance "G.R.O.O.V.E."
The festival gave the English language a place of honour, with plays by British playwrights Tim Crouch, Tim Etchells, Alistair McDowall and Alexander Zeldin to name a few.
Rodrigues launched the idea of guest languages this year and said that in 2024, the guest language would be Spanish, which "like English, is a European language with a global presence" he indicated.
"There is also an artistic succession in South America, which has not yet been discovered at European level", added the director, adding that the Argentinian director Mariano Pensotti had been invited.
Among the other artists already announced, there will be Caroline Guiela Nguyen ("Lacrima"), revealed in 2017 with her play "Saigon" while Rodrigues will present a preview of his take on, "Hécube" from the work of Euripides with the Comédie Française.
Rodrigues had two plays performed at this year's festival "Dans la Measure de l'Impossible" and "By Heart", which will be performed in the Palais des Papes on Tuesday evening, effectively wrapping up the event.
The festival will start earlier next year, on 29 June, due to the Paris Olympics, and end on 21 July, two days longer than the 2023 edition.
(with AFP)
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