16th International Theatre Festival of Kerala from Jan 25 in Thrissur
The eight-day festival will feature 23 plays presented through 46 performances, bringing together productions from across the world, India, and Kerala
Thrissur will host the 16th edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) from January 25 to February 1, organised by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.
The eight-day festival will feature 23 plays presented through 46 performances, bringing together productions from across the world, India, and Kerala.
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This year’s festival is curated around the theme “Voices of Silence”, focusing on marginalised narratives, resistance, and social realities expressed through theatre.
Nine international productions from Argentina, Brazil, Armenia, Palestine, Slovakia, Spain, Japan, and Denmark will be staged alongside eight national-level productions from Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. Five Malayalam plays from Kerala will also be part of the lineup.
Inauguration and venues
The festival will be inaugurated on the evening of January 25 at the Akademi premises. As part of the opening ceremony, the festival book, bag, T-shirt, and festival bulletin will be released.
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ITFoK will be held across seven venues in Thrissur. While theatrical performances will take place at the main theatre venues, the Akademi courtyard will host the inaugural and closing ceremonies along with cultural programmes. Seminars, discussions, and interactive sessions will be held at the Murali Theatre backyard, and film screenings will be organised at FAOS (From Ashes to Open Sky).
International, national, and Malayalam plays
The international section includes productions such as Hamlet Toilet (Japan), Wow (Slovakia), Dumbling (Armenia), The Last Play in Gaza (Palestine), Frankenstein Project (Argentina), A Scream in the Dark (Brazil), Lucia Joyce – A Small Drama in Motion (Spain), Oranges and Stones (Palestine), and Romeo and Juliet (Denmark).
The national segment features Malpractice and the Show (Pune), The Far Post (Mumbai), Under the Mangosteen Tree (Chennai), Kulang Barhi (Assam), The Nether (Pune), Something Like Truth (Pune), Mesok (Mumbai), and Agarbathi (Madhya Pradesh).
From Kerala, the selected plays are Kuhu – An Anthology on Train (Palakkad), Bye Bye Bypass (Ernakulam), Nanmayil John Quixote (Palakkad), Madan Moksham (Alappuzha), and Screamer (Pathanamthitta).
Festival organisers said ITFoK continues its focus on showcasing artistically significant theatre while bringing voices of protest, resilience, and social transformation from different parts of the world to Kerala audiences. They noted that the number of plays has increased compared to the previous edition, with an emphasis on thematic coherence and diversity.
The festival director for this edition is Dr. Abhilash Pillai, supported by a team of curators and coordinators.
