How does a humble town in the south of France manage to host 1000 plays a night? Seems impossible, I know, but after visiting the Avignon Theatre Festival, I saw garages, cafes, and street corners transform into stages for acting troops, dancers, and artists. The city Avignon is a beautiful rustic town lined with cobblestone sidewalks and sprinkled with medieval castles. Avignon is even enclosed by a giant ancient wall (built in the 1360's to protect the city), and is surrounded by a river and small neighboring towns. The festival also lasts late hours into the night, and a wonderful ferris wheel illuminates the town.
This year, the Avignon theatre festival was bestowed with a great new edition, as select tourists and performers were given free tooth whitening pens (courtesy of Santé Smile). Below, you can see an organic farmer, Eve, sporting her summertime hat and her Santé Smile tooth whitening pen, and a local handsome Avignon drama student, Alexandre, who I met at a picnic inside the walls Avignon.
Since 1947, Avignon has been the host of the largest theatre festival in France, and this year, the festivities ran from July 8 to July 31. Every year, the celebration is actually divided into two sets of festivities: the "Festival In," which is where plays are formally showcased inside the Palace of the Popes, and the "Festival Off," which is where the zany & bohemian-like plays are performed throughout the city.
But, why do acting troops from all over Europe make large investments to perform at the Avignon Theatre Festival, even if there are only a handful of people in the audience? The reason is because hundreds of theatre owners and executive producers attend the theatre festival as a shopping opportunity. Producers and investors attend as many plays as possible during this three week festival, and then offer select acting troops & plays to perform in their theatre during the upcoming year. Consequentially, actors from all over Europe attend this festival in the hopes of being discovered and landing a gig with an established theatre company.
For more on Avignon Theatre Festival, check out: http://www.avignonleoff.com/
This year, the Avignon Theatre Festival also had a noteworthy event titled, "A Tribute to the 60th Year Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." This event, sponsored by the United Nations, effectively raised awareness about human rights issues and served as a reminder of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On the left, is a picture of the Executive Producer of this event, Guila Clara Kessous, sporting her Santé Smile. Guila was granted the State Diploma of Performing Arts (from France) and has collaborated with established designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier.
Overall, the theatre festival was basically a giant party. Men cross-dressing and women dressed as nurses parade constantly throughout the night in the streets while advertising their upcoming performance. On a closing note, it was quiet beautiful seeing an acting troop take this opportunity to celebrate human rights. Try taking into consideration several (1, 19 & 24) of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.... Do you feel like your rights are being protected? Leave a comment and let me know!
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
For all 30 articles visit http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
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