Hosted every two years in Bogota, the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro grows from strength to strength and this the 12th edition promises to keep thespians and culture vultures from this part of the world very happy with the participation of no less than 80 international theatre companies from 40 countries including far flung and interesting choices from Iceland, the USA, Serbia, France, the United Kingdom and somewhere in the Russian Federation referred to only as the Republic of Tartaristan.
These theatre troupes will be putting on some 320 works put on in Corferias (a conference centre in Bogota) which has been designated as the official seat of the Festival or the Theatre Village if you like. And in addition to the formal set up there will be 150 shows of street theatre taking place alongside this and more than 100 Colombian representatives taking part in the event as a whole.
Homage to Fanny Mikey
Sadly the co-founder of the Festival, Argentine-born Fanny Mikey passed away on August 16 2008 and so this year’s event is in homage to her and her tireless efforts to make this one of the world’s most inclusive and incredible theatre festivals. It remains to be seen how the festival can cope without the effervescent Fanny Mikey and her whirlwind approach to organising. As a co-founder along with Ramon Osorio, Mikey and her iconic and unruly red hair were central to the festival as a whole.
History of the Festival
The Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro was created in 1988 to celebrate the 450 years since the founding of Bogota and its first edition was named: “Un acto de fe en Colombia” or “An Act of Faith in Colombia”. Today this festival has become one of the world’s greatest with its formal theatre productions running alongside street theatre and packing in such a wide variety of performances in just 17 days.
Franz Ferdinand in Colombia
It will not have gone unnoticed by music aficionados that Scottish Art rockers Franz Ferdinand will be coming to Bogota to perform at the Festival on 27 March. With hits such as Matinee, Take Me Out, Do You Want To, which have won the quartet from Glasgow all manner of international accolades, this event promises to be one of the most popular. Franz Ferdinand will perform in the Salon Milenio in Corferias at a cost of 155,000 pesos each (roughly $75 US) but you are advised to buy your tickets ahead of time.
How to Get Tickets
There are discounts available of 15 per cent if you buy your tickets before December 31 2009. You can purchase your Tarjeta Primera Fila at most central branches of the Juan Valdez coffee shop chain. Or for more information call 320 20 33 or see the official Festival de Teatro Iberoamericano de Bogota site.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
