Dramatic Alliance Unveiled: Theater Festivals in Romania and France Initiate Joint Venture in Avignon

Dramatic Alliance Unveiled: Theater Festivals in Romania and France Initiate Joint Venture in Avignon

In an exciting development for the world of theatre, the performing arts festival OFF Avignon and the International Shakespeare Festival Craiova (FISC) have joined forces for a unique international theatrical partnership. This collaboration, named Shakespeare Of(f) Avignon, aims to highlight the universality of Shakespearean work in a contemporary, accessible, and relevant setting.

As part of this collaboration, two shows from the Avignon OFF Festival 2025 program will be invited to perform at FISC's next year's edition. These shows will be selected by the Shakespeare Everywhere theater dissemination caravan actors and members of the foreign and French press attending the Avignon festival.

The Shakespeare Everywhere Caravan is a significant part of this year's Festival d'Avignon, running from July 5 to 26. The caravan brings theatre performances to audiences across France, including the recital "Shakespeare Gallery: Traveling Sonnets," which will be presented in French on July 22, 23, and 24.

The caravan, named Shakespeare - Everywhere, consists of three theatre vans, a mobile stage, and a team of ten artists. It travels to 61 localities in Romania as part of FISC, bringing the magic of Shakespearean theatre to new audiences.

One of the performances to be presented is Shakespeare Reduced, which will take place between April and September of this year. The caravan's performances in Avignon mark another step in the European cultural dialogue, following the collaboration with OFF Avignon and the presentation at FISC's next year's edition.

The caravan's presence in Avignon also includes a collaboration with the OFF Avignon festival. This collaboration bridges two prominent theatre festivals—one focusing on general performing arts and the other on Shakespearean theatre—by promoting selected plays inspired by Shakespeare, thereby enhancing cultural exchange and Shakespearean heritage dissemination between France and Romania.

The performances aim to make Shakespeare's works accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences. A press conference dedicated to Shakespeare Of(f) Avignon is scheduled for July 25, 2025, at the Village du OFF event space in Avignon. This collaboration is indeed a significant moment in European cultural dialogue.

This cultural exchange between the Avignon OFF Festival and FISC's 2025 editions promises to enrich the travel itineraries of theater enthusiasts, offering a chance to experience the universality of Shakespearean work in a contemporary setting. As the Shakespeare Everywhere Caravan traverses both France and Romania, it fosters a cultural-travel experience that blends the essence of various lifestyles through the shared language of theater.

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