Culture

The "showcase" of theatrical exploration from Kosovo expands to Albania

"Kosovo Albania Theater Showcase" will be held in Tirana from October 29 to November 2

"Kosovo Albania Theater Showcase" will be held in Tirana from October 29 to November 2

"Kosovo Theater Showcase" has become "Kosovo Albania Theater Showcase". It expands into another equally vibrant and unique but relatively unexplored scene internationally. "We are using this opportunity to physically move to Tirana, Albania, and we have the opportunity to see what it has to offer", announced "Multimedia"

"Kosovo Theater Showcase" this year will cross the borders of the newest state in Europe. The platform founded in 2018 by the "Multimedia" center, since that year has gathered several local shows to promote Kosovo theater in front of journalists, critics and international theater artists, this year it aims for more. The name of the platform has been changed to "Kosovo Albania Theater Showcase". It will be held in Tirana from October 29 to November 2 in collaboration with the National Theater of Albania and the experimental national theater "Kujtim Spahivogli".  

The "Multimedia" Center has announced that after six years of exploring Kosovo's unique theater scene, this year it is expanding into the "Kosovo Albania Theater Showcase" in another equally lively and unique scene, but relatively unexplored internationally. 

"We are taking this opportunity to physically relocate to Tirana, Albania, and have the opportunity to see what it has to offer. From October 29 to November 2, in collaboration with the National Theater of Albania and the experimental national theater 'Kujtim Spahivogli' - Tirana, we are waiting to share with you a week of a mixed program of 10-12 theater productions from Kosovo, Albania and outside of them", announced "Mutimedia". Part of the program will also be complementary theatrical events, such as discussions, seminars and masterclasses, in collaboration with artists and theaters, including playwright Mark Ravenhill of the "Theater de la Ville" in Paris and "Teatro della Pergola" in Florence.

"This year we are expecting about 100 international guests", the announcement reads. 

In 2018, this platform was established for the first time in Kosovo. At that time, the last four shows performed by the "Multimedia" center were given. In that edition, the play "Le Pont" was included, which was performed in Paris and which had opened the Oct. Festival in Ferizaj. Discussion panels and literary and musical evenings were part of the program. At that time there were about 30 international guests such as festival selectors, critics, journalists, writers, directors and theater lovers.
The goal from then on was annual. 

"We believe that from the next edition it will expand and include other shows performed by theaters and theater companies in Kosovo. In this way, we believe that this Kosovar 'Showcase' will be a good way to promote the isolated Kosovar theater in the world and a good opportunity for festival selectors, researchers, the public and foreign critics to follow, observe and enjoy Kosovar theater and its theatrical trends. The program of this first edition is realized in cooperation with the National Theater of Kosovo, the Oda Theater and the Dodona Theater in Prishtina, as well as the "Adriana Abdullahu" theater in Ferizaj", it was announced in 2018 about the goals of the platform. 
This year it turns out to be the broader goal. Theaters in Albania, unlike those in Kosovo, although both countries had a monist system, had stricter censorship. The consequences of that time and the professional ones, according to people in the theater world, are still visible today. For critics and foreign journalists, the expansion of the presentations in the "Showcase" can make the event more attractive. 

This platform has been expanded from edition to edition. As for the program, it is expected to be even richer this year. Over the years, after the "Multimedia" show and the "Integra" organization, it has included shows from the "Oda" theater, the Gjilan Theater, the Ferizaj Theater, the "Dodona" theater and the "Bokshi Theater Company". There were also guest performances, among them from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. In 2022, the closure of the building of the National Theater of Kosovo had limited them and was a big obstacle. The building was closed in June of that year and since then the restoration has not yet started. It is expected to start these days and according to the contract it will cost around 7 million euros.