Foto: Judith Pawlitta © NRWKS

FIDENA 2018 – 60th Anniversary of Figurentheater der Nationen (Puppet Theatre of the Nations)

Event trip

In May 2018, a group of eight puppet theatre experts were guests at the international festival "FIDENA - Figurentheater der Nationen" in Bochum. The traditional biennial festival celebrated its 60th anniversary this year.

The guests from China, France, Japan, Lithuania, Palestine, South Africa and Hungary not only visited numerous performances of the extensive festival programme in Bochum, Herne, Hattingen and Essen, but also met with festival director Annette Dabs and other festival participants for an exchange.

The programme was complemented by visits to the puppet theatre college in Bochum, the Düsseldorf Marionette Theatre and the HELIOS Theatre in Hamm. During lunch, which focused on networking and the exchange of experiences, the guests were able to get to know theatre directors and artists from NRW.

The guests were:

Caroline Chatelet, theatre critic and freelance journalist, Paris/FRANCE

Judit Cziráki, international relations manager, dramaturg: Budapest Puppet Theatre, Budapest/UNGARY

Ashraf Johaardien, producer: National Arts Festival, Grahamstown/SOUTH AFRICA

Fairouz Nustas, freelance scenographer and puppeteer, Bethlehem/PALESTINE

Agnė Pulokaitė, coordinator for international relation, Klaipėda Puppet Theatre, Vilnius/LITHUANIA, programmer: Puppet Theatre Festival Materia Magica, Vilnius/LITHUANIA

Anne Raimbault, producer: Compagnie La Salamandre, Moncley/FRANCE, director: Festival Saperlipuppet, La Chapelle-sur-Erdre/FRANCE

Chong Wang, director: Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental, BEIJING/CHINA

Dr Yoko Yamaguchi, producer: International Liaison of Puppet Theatre PUK, Tokyo/JAPAN, researcher: Tokyo University of Arts, Tokyo/JAPAN