Manama, Jan. 19 (BNA): Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), and Suha Saleh Jassim Hamada, Director General of School Affairs at the Ministry of Education, attended a commemorative celebration held at Al Hidaya Al Khalifia School to mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the theatrical movement in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
BACA holds 100th anniversary celebration for Bahraini theatre at Al Hidaya Al Khalifia School
According to Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, Al Hidaya Al Khalifia School was the site of Bahrain’s first formal government education launch as well as the start of Bahraini theater, highlighting the school’s historic significance.
The Education Minister pointed out that Bahraini theater started out as a school-based movement and that, by fostering acting talent that develops within schools and is honed through school productions and yearly school theater festivals, school theater continues to be a vital and rich source for the national theater scene. He emphasized that the Ministry views the study of local and international theater history as an important cultural accomplishment and places a high value on school theater as an instructional tool.
He continued by saying that the fact that this celebration coincides with the commemoration of the Year of Isa Al Kabeer, the founder of the modern state and Bahrain’s modern institutional development, adds depth and symbolism to the event, especially since it is held at one of the Kingdom’s most significant educational sites that saw the modern state’s founding.
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed, for his part, stated that commemorating Bahraini theater‘s 100th anniversary is a significant turning point in showcasing its theatrical heritage and solidifying its place in the minds of upcoming generations while carrying on a century-long journey of creative contribution.
He praised the hard work and accomplishments of Bahraini professionals in the theater industry, which reflect the Kingdom’s refined cultural image. In order to further develop Bahrain’s theatrical movement and increase its competitiveness at Arab and worldwide theater festivals, he also emphasized the significance of ongoing collaboration between official institutions, theaters of all kinds, and theatre spectators.
The exhibition “100 Years of Bahraini Theatre” opened as part of the celebration. It provides a thorough examination of the Kingdom’s theatrical history from its inception at Al Hidaya Al Khalifia School in 1925 to the creation of private theaters run by the Bahrain Theatres Union Associations. Photographs, records, costumes, and prizes are all part of the show, which chronicles the development of the theatrical movement and recalls its local and regional presence.
The exhibition will be available every day from 8 AM to 8 PM till February 18.
The book “The Memory of Bahraini Theatre: A Century of Transformations and Aesthetics,” written by author and theater practitioner Khaled Fares Al Rowaiee, was also unveiled at the event. It chronicles the history of Bahrain’s theatrical movement over the years by showcasing significant turning points, testimonies from influential pioneers, and old photos that convey tales of ingenuity and commitment.
At the end of the event, BACA honored some notable theatrical personalities who have contributed significantly to the growth of Bahrain’s theater industry and have been instrumental in maintaining and expanding the movement over the previous several decades.
The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), the Bahrain Theatres Union Associations, and private theaters were thanked by the Authority for their donations of images, records, and historical data pertaining to the history of theater in the Kingdom.
