World Theatre Day- La Noche De Los Teatros
by Khilen Mehta
In June 1961, the president of Finland, Arvi Kivimaa proposed at the 9th World Congress of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) that a World Theatre Day should be created. Ever since, each year on the 27th March, World Theatre Day has been celebrated in many and varied ways by ITI National Centres, of which there are now almost 100 throughout the world. World Theatre Day was set up to “to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in the domain of the performing arts, to stimulate creation and increase cooperation between theatre people, to make public opinion aware of the necessity of taking artistic creation into consideration in the domain of development, to deepen mutual understanding in order to participate in strengthening peace and friendship among peoples, to join in the defence of the ideals and aims of UNESCO.” The activities that will take place across the world today are seen as attempts to realise these objectives.
Tonight, Madrid will once again don its performing hats and take to the theatres and the streets. Over 60 different arenas will open their doors with special discounts on tickets in order to provide the crowds with spectacular performances and talks with reknowned actors. In Plaza Dali, and at the CaixaForum, there are special dance and theatre productions lined up especially for children. This year is also the first year that both the Prado and the Reina Sofía will open their doors to the public to inaugurate this festival and will be holding special art exhibitions. For the more youthful crowd, a hip-hop and breakdance company with light up the Templo de Debod with some guaranteed jaw dropping moves.
Watch out tomorrow for some tired faces!!