Preparing for its 10th edition, the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children revealed some details about its line up and plans for the anniversary round.

Taking place between 3 and 9 March this year, the festival will present plays for children in three Egyptian cities: Cairo (3-9 March), Alexandria (8-10 March) and an extension on 2 and 12 March in Minya in Upper Egypt.

According to the Hakawy's organisers, 11 international plays will be staged: four from the Netherlands (with two by troupe Arch8), two from the USA, alongside plays from Canada, Germany, UK, France and a USA/UK coproduction.

This year Hakawy will have an American and Dutch focus with the latter country being also in focus in the festival's 9th edition (7-15 March 2019).

The international plays included in Hakawy 2020's line-up are: Les Moutons by Corpus Company (Canada), Nero by Alfredo Zinola Theater Company (Germany), Farewell by Malou van Sluis (Netherlands), No Man Is an Island by Arch8 (Netherlands), Rising Tide by Arch8 (Netherlands - premiere), Poétique de l’instable by Arcosm (France - world premiere), Chalk About by Curious Seed (UK), The Singing Zoologist (USA), Infinitus (USA / UK), Aesop Bops / Mad Dog and Me by David Gonzalez (USA), and Hermit by Simone de Jong (Netherlands).

The festival will also showcase five Egyptian productions selected from 40 submissions: Don't look, Lulu (Aragoz) by Al-Kosha puppets troupe; De ElHekaya, a storytelling by Samia Jaheen; Fantasy in the City of Paper (shadow theater) by the Arab Center for Origami; It Was Once a Dream (contemporary dance) by Islam Al-Nebeishy and The Experiment (puppetry) by Khadija El-Desouky.

The selection of the Egyptian plays was done by a jury consisting of three members: Ahmed El-Attar, playwright and theatre director and Artistic Director of D-CAF festival in Cairo and Orient Productions; Salam Youssry, painter, playwright and director, founder of Al-Tamye Theater Company and the Choir project; and Sahar Daoud, child psychiatrist.

While many of the plays are suitable for children of all ages, some are tailored especially for viewers as young as two-years-old.

As per its usual practice, the festival will also include workshops, talks and master classes for local artists in its programming.

Organised by AFCA for Arts and Culture, the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children is the brainchild of the festival's president and artistic director Mohamed El-Ghawy, who also heads AFCA.

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