OSI Forum: Reviving Theater in Afghanistan

A Conversation with Ariane Mnouchkine

Location: OSI-New York
Event Date(s): July 28, 2005
Multimedia:   AUDIO

Le Théâtre du Soleil, led by world-renowned French director Ariane Mnouchkine, visited Kabul in summer 2005 to conduct a theater workshop culminating in an original production with Afghan actors and technicians. The innovative three-week workshop was conceived by the Kabul-based Foundation for Culture and Civil Society, which is supported by the Open Society Institute and the French American Cultural Exchange.

Founded in 1964, Le Théâtre du Soleil is now an international company of 75 people. Since 1970, Le Théâtre du Soleil has been based in the Cartoucherie in Paris’s Bois de Vincennes. In July 2005, the Lincoln Center Festival presented the U.S. premiere of Le Dernier Caravansérail (Odyssées). Based on letters written by Afghan, Iranian, and Kurdish detainees who were held in recent years in refugee camps in France, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, the piece recreates scenes from refugee life.

On July 28, 2005, Ariane Mnouchkine spoke at OSI-New York about the experience of reviving theater in Afghanistan and about the troupe’s current projects. The presentation was introduced by Anthony Richter, OSI associate director and director of the Central Eurasia Project, and Robert Klyver, executive director of the Foundation for Culture and Civil Society.

“We did not go to Afghanistan to show what is ‘theatre,’” Mnouchkine said, "but rather to show what is ‘our’ theatre”—that of Théâtre du Soleil—as well as to share experiences and techniques among Afghani and French actors. Despite pre-departure warnings of possible danger and violence, upon arriving Mnouchkine and her troupe of actors “met normal, competent, curious, interesting people,” most from the fine arts department of the University of Kabul.

Mnouchkine decided to use masks as "the instrument that would bring theater as quickly as possible." The workshop participants had never before seen masks. On the first day, “it was as if something was coming up from a very far, ignored memory,” Mnouchkine said. That day and nearly every day for the rest of the workshop, “there was theater.” The participants "were in a normal kingdom: a kingdom of art," she said. "Not once did I hear: ‘I am Uzbek,’ or ‘I am Tajik.’"

The group worked on a specific theme: forced marriage. “But not in Afghanistan," Mnouchkine said, "in our society, three hundred years ago.” Three women took part in the workshop, which Mnouchkine said was very courageous. "For an Aghani woman to go on stage is simple heroism, because it means that she is a prostitute."

At the end of the workshop, Mnouchkine spoke with participants about what would happen next. They decided to create a group, which they named after the Afghan word for "sun," and elected a director. "We firmly plan to go on helping them," Mnouchkine said, and have several ongoing projects with the group.