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The Algerian National Theater Mahieddine Bachtarzi (TNA) inaugurated the day before yesterday a new digital platform dedicated to the archiving and promotion of Algerian theatrical heritage.
This project, the result of six months of work, aims to preserve and make accessible the country’s theatrical history, allowing researchers, students and fans of the 4th art to consult a vast collection of documents, photos and information on the productions and artists who have marked the national scene.
As soon as it opens, the platform will be accessible to visitors present at the TNA. Then, in a second phase, it will be open to the general public via the internet. This initiative, as Ziani Cherif Ayad, playwright and director at the origin of the project, pointed out.
The platform presents itself as an interface allowing easy navigation through the treasures it contains. For the period from 1963 to 1972, it offers detailed statistics, valuable information on 39 theatrical plays, as well as nearly 300 biographies of the actors and technicians who marked this rapid era of Algerian theater.
Director Ziani Chérif Ayad then hosted a round table on the archiving of Algerian theater, in the presence of various actors from the Algerian theater community. This initiative is part of the protection of theatrical memory and the archiving of theatrical heritage through digitization.
In his opening speech, TNA director Mohamed Yahiaoui welcomed the initiative of the Algerian theater archiving project. He explained that “this project began to emerge in 2014, with the aim of collecting and organizing various elements of the theater, such as documents, posters and costumes, in order to preserve the cultural heritage of the national theater Algerian”.
“This project will be the showcase and like a museum for Algerian theater, not only for the national theater, but will include all regional theaters, cooperatives and associations,” he said.
Ismaïl Inzarene, Senior Director of Cultural and Artistic Production Distribution, highlighted the importance of this project, which consists of bringing together theater archives to digitize, publish and protect them.
This process helps preserve tangible and intangible heritage and makes all theatrical production accessible to researchers and students. He also indicated that “this project is a first step towards the creation of a digitization platform for the protection and management of theater archives. It will then be extended to other dates beyond 1972.”
Reinterpreting past experiences
Ziani Chérif Ayad insisted on the importance of this initiative for the history of Algerian theater. He affirmed that “this initiative not only serves to archive, but also to take advantage of the various experiences and productions, contributing to forging a unique identity for Algerian theater. This identity is made up of the works of all artists and directors.”
Ayad also mentioned that, through this approach, all the actors of the Algerian national theater are gathering theatrical works from different institutions, such as the national radio, Algerian television, as well as newspapers and universities, to integrate them into a digital platform. “This platform will not only be a resource for researchers and students, but also for foreigners. In addition, it will allow studying and reinterpreting past experiences,” he said.
In this context, Kamel Echirazi, a journalist and theatre critic, presented a talk entitled “Reading of the works produced” for the period from 1963 to 1972. This period saw an abundance of Algerian theatre productions, with 38 creations in total. Among them, 18 were Algerian texts, such as “le Foehn” by Mouloud Mammeri, “Le Cadavre encerclé” by Kateb Yacine and “Rouge l’aube” by Assia Djebar.
According to him, there were also nine adaptations and translations, including “The Rebel Woman” by Mustapha Kasderli, adapted from a text “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare. The productions of this period were distinguished by a typically Algerian style, using popular humor, and followed three main trends: historical, moral and social-psychological.
Mohamed Boukras, director of the Higher Institute of Performing Arts and Audiovisual Professions (ISMAS), discussed the beginnings of theater training in the 1960s, after independence. He also stressed the importance of training to propel Algerian theater to other horizons.
For his part, researcher Makhlouf Boukrouh gave his speech to the TNA audience. “Historically, the public has always been linked to the theatrical movement. In Greek society, theater was an integral part of social, economic and political structures. The social importance of Greek theater is reflected in the great attendance of the public, with halls able to accommodate more than four thousand spectators,” he revealed.
According to him, “the success of the TNA in attracting the public is also demonstrated by its organizational and programming capacity. This is reflected in the communication strategy with the public.”
Adaptation to Algerian theatre
The author and playwright Mohamed Bourahla, in his talk on adaptation and translation in Algerian theatre, takes as an example the play “Homq Salim” by Abdelkader Alloula. He stated that “adaptation in Algerian theatre, which was not motivated by economic reasons but by a creative approach, underwent a transformation after independence in 1963. This transformation reflects the revolutionary and socialist orientation of “Algerian theatre, which has become a tool for struggle and socialist construction.”
Bouziane Benachour, author, playwright and critic, spoke about the “Amateur Theatre Festival of Mostaganem”, launched in 1967. “This Festival quickly became a major cultural landmark in Algeria. Under the direction of Si El Djilali and the Muslim Scouts, the festival distinguished itself by its bold social criticism, attracting a young generation of artists who denounced bureaucratic excesses and the nouveau riche through committed plays,” he said.
“The festival does not create a new theatre but offers a different reading, assigning to the theatre missions reflecting the socio-economic upheavals of the time.
Despite internal differences and political pressures, the FNTA continues to attract recognized figures from theater and cinema, and remains a key platform for young artists, evolving towards a national dimension from its third edition,” he said. added.
Nadjib Stambouli, journalist and writer, highlighted the indispensable role of theatre criticism in Algeria since the first years of independence. He recalls that criticism has always accompanied theatre practice, citing notable examples such as the performance of “Les enfants de la Casbah” by Mustapha Kateb in 1963, showing the political interest in theatre.
Stambouli observed that criticism, particularly in publications such as “Revolution and Work,” played a vigilant role in focusing on the political aspect of theatrical productions. He noted that the 1960s were marked by creative enthusiasm, with varied theatrical adaptations and sometimes virulent criticism, as evidenced by the debates surrounding Kateb Yacine’s “Le cadavre encerclé” in 1968.
He considers the 70s and 80s as the golden age of Algerian theater, with criticism more focused on content and staging, and remembers the influential critics of this era, whose names remain memorable today . .
Stambouli insisted on the rigor and depth necessary for a good critique, which must provide analytical tools to the spectator and the director, while remaining informed and impartial.