Southern Romania's Craiova Shakespeare Festival 2026 to feature seven shows from OFF Avignon Festival
In 2025, the Shakespeare Caravan project embarked on a mission to democratise theatre and make it more accessible to all. The project, which aimed to travel through 61 localities in Romania, concluded in September of the same year.
Fast forward to 2026, and the International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova is set to host an extraordinary selection of performances from the OFF Avignon Festival. This partnership between the OFF Avignon Festival and the International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova is a significant step towards promoting Shakespeare’s legacy and fostering contemporary European cultural dialogue.
Seven productions have been selected for the 2026 festival. These include "Richard III" by Les Mots Les Corps et La Note (France), directed by Laurent Domingos; "Romeo and Juliet" by Almaty State Puppet Theater (Kazakhstan), directed by Dina Zhumbaeva; "Hamlet, la fin d'une enfance" by La Compagnie Les Pies Menteurs (France), directed by Christophe Luthringer; "Mercutio" by En Scène ! Productions (France), directed by Kévin O. Salles; "Hamlet Take Away" by Berardi/Casolari (Italy), directed by Gianfranco Berardi and Gabriella Casolari; "Roméo et Juliette... ou presque" by Le Théâtre du Kronope (France), directed by Guy Simon; and "Macbeth" by CTF (France), directed by Philippe Nicaud.
These productions blend tradition with innovation, emotion with stage experimentation, offering a unique theatrical experience for the audience.
At the launch conference of Shakespeare Of(f) Avignon, H.E. Mrs. Aurelia Grosu, Consul General of Romania in Marseille, Vlad Drăgulescu, President of FISC, and Harold David, Co-director of OFF Avignon, expressed their delight at building a bridge between Avignon and Craiova, and between France and Romania.
The conference was a dialogue about collaboration, living culture, and Shakespeare’s legacy in contemporary Europe, as well as its significance for Romania and France. Shakespeare Of(f) Avignon aims to bring diverse, bold, and contemporary artistic creations to the Romanian audience.
Over the centuries, Shakespeare has managed to unite people, cultures, and generations. The 2026 International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova is a testament to this timeless appeal, and a celebration of the power of theatre to bring people together.
In the context of the 2026 International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova, various performances promise an entertaining blend of tradition and innovation, as productions like "Richard III" and "Macbeth" invite audiences to experience a unique theatrical dialogue. Shakespeare Of(f) Avignon, a collaboration between OFF Avignon Festival and FISC, endeavors to bring these diverse, dynamic, and contemporary artistic creations to the Romanian audience, thereby continuing Shakespeare's legacy of uniting cultures and generations.
