French Theater Academic, Director Praises Marivan Street Theater Fest

She said the event was similar in quality compared to other prestigious international festivals.
Countries like France host 250 street theater festivals each year of them some were held at small scale with 10 groups, some at medium level with the participations of 30 to 40 groups and some were major event in which hundreds of groups participate, Gaber told Iran Theater website in Marivan.
She termed Marivan festival as a medium level event, adding that the festival, however, was very successful in terms of quality of works and enthusiasm received from audiences.
On supports of the government of street theater in France, Gaber said that only 100 out of thousands of street theater plays receive financial supports and most of groups try to raise fund through private sponsors and donations from the people.
The supports were extended to different works each year; for instance a year it could be pioneer experimental theater and the other year the plays with criticism, she added.
On presence of women, she said contrary to Iran that had a weak participation of women either as performer or as audience, women were as active as men in street theater in France and Europe.
“In 1960s and 1970s, participation of women in Europe’s street theater was low because of the violent nature of such theater. But street theater witnessed the strong participation of women since 1990s.”
Gaber said women in Iran’s street theater were strong too, describing ritual/traditional works as attractions of Marivan festival.
“Traditional and indigenous works are not performed in street theater festivals in Europe while such plays have added up to the attractions of Marivan festival,” she said.
She thanked people and artists of Marivan for their behavior. “The behavior of people and artists was so warm and friendly that I wished to be a Kurd and Muslim.”  
The Seventh Marivan International Theater Festival was held on September 28 to October 2. Ghobad Maymanatabadi was secretary of the festival.