Algerian Radio
The play "El Haribate" (The Fugitives) by Tunisian Wafa Taboubi, a quest for meaning in the face of life's existential angsts, was presented on Monday evening in Algiers, in the presence of the Minister of Culture and Arts, Ms. Malika Bendouda.
Marking a brief pause in the competition of the 18th National Professional Theatre Festival (FNTP), organized since December 22 at the Mahieddine-Bachtarzi National Theatre (TNA), the show—which premiered in Tunis in October 2025—was directed by Tunisian Wafa Taboubi.
With a runtime of 75 minutes, "El Haribate" explores doubt, waiting, uncertainty, and hope. It features a hand-picked cast of five talented Tunisian actresses, alongside one of their male compatriots, a fellow stage professional.
The richness of the text, the immense skill of the actresses, and the subtle soundtrack and lighting compensated for the absence of a set. The scenography, also designed by Wafa Taboubi, wove its narrative through a judicious fusion of theatrical currents and a beautiful chemistry of schools, blending the "epic of the absurd," "didactic theatre," and the "theatre of cruelty," among others.
Keeping the audience in suspense for 75 minutes, Fatma Bensaïdane, Mounira Zakraoui, Lobna Naamane, Oumaïma Bahri, Sabrine Omar, and Oussama El Henaïni succeeded in carrying the density of the text. They maintained a breathtakingly intense performance that was highly physically demanding, featuring escalating, sustained exchanges delivered with vociferation.
Wafa Taboubi chose to bet on the "intensity of the performance of the entire cast," which brilliantly conveyed the message, rather than highlighting individual characters, who were left unnamed.
She also "used road signs to announce the titles of certain scenes" and instructed the actresses to "shout their dialogue to maintain spectator attention," as advocated by Antonin Artaud (1896-1948), the precursor of the theatre of cruelty.
Acting as true dramaturgical elements, the lighting—a key part of the scenography—and the music, composed by Hani Belhammadi, created dark and icy atmospheres, discreetly sustaining the prevailing climate of psychosis.
The lighting—whether hushed or bright, lateral, vertical (downlights), or diagonal—suggested the source and origin of the distress, anxiety, and pain. Their progression and imminence were heralded by loops of rhythmic cadences and jerky musical arrangements.
In dialogues imbued with violence and anger, the Tunisian artists, in absolute distress, moved in every direction—accusing one another, bickering, shoving, gesticulating, running, and shouting—all in a quest for meaning to soothe their anxieties and torments.
A few comic moments in the dialogue or the actresses' performance embellished the show and drew laughter from the spectators, who generally remained rapt and attentive throughout the performance. The play was widely applauded by the public, who gave Wafa Taboubi a triumphant welcome during her appearance for the final curtain call.
Earlier, the Minister of Culture and Arts, Ms. Malika Bendouda, accompanied by the commissioner of the 18th FNTP and director of the TNA, Mr. Mohamed Yahiaoui, presented an honorary trophy to the Jordanian actor Zuhaïr Al Nobani, in tribute to his entire prolific career.
Dedicated to the actor, playwright, and director Abdellah Hamlaoui, the 18th FNTP continues until January 2, 2026, under the theme "Theatre Reduces Distances," featuring 18 plays in competition and 8 off-competition productions, in addition to conferences, masterclasses, and street performances.
