The Riyadh Theater Festival continued to shine on its third day, organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, through a rich and diverse cultural and artistic program. The day featured specialized training workshops, theatrical performances with intellectual and humanistic themes, and a musical concert by artist Mohammed Fadl Shaker, reflecting the festival’s artistic diversity and its role in enriching the local theater movement and raising cultural awareness among audiences. The festival runs through December 22.
The third day’s activities began with a workshop titled “Theatrical Space and Scenography,” presented by Mohammed Jameel. The workshop focused on the conceptual dimension of scenography as a core element in shaping the director’s vision, highlighting its role in transforming theatrical space into an expressive medium integrated with the dramatic text through the use of light, mass, movement, and visual elements, thereby enhancing participants’ aesthetic and artistic experience.
Among the theatrical performances, the play “The Third Painting” by Taif Theater Group was presented, written by Fahd Al-Harthi and directed by Ahmed Al-Ahmari. The play explored the internal conflict of a theater troupe searching for its identity amid diverse artistic styles. Blending comedy, drama, and absurdism, the production addressed the artist’s reality and raised questions about the balance between creativity and materialism.
The performance was followed by a critical discussion led by film critic Ayed Al-Buqmi, who analyzed the play’s dramatic structure, directorial choices, and symbolic meanings, shedding light on narrative tools and visual elements and their role in conveying the artistic message, enriching the artistic dialogue and audience engagement.
The festival also hosted a musical concert by Mohammed Fadl Shaker, attended by a large and enthusiastic audience. The concert featured a selection of songs, including well-known works by his father, renowned artist Fadl Shaker, which received strong applause and audience participation, creating an emotional atmosphere that complemented the theatrical program and offered a holistic cultural experience combining theater and music.
Additional activities on the third day included short performance acts that added a lively and interactive atmosphere, as well as stand-up comedy shows that provided enjoyable entertainment for festival visitors.
Through its third edition, the Riyadh Theater Festival continues to strengthen its position as one of the Kingdom’s leading cultural events, aiming to energize the theater scene, discover emerging talents, and increase public engagement with theater, in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s cultural and artistic objectives.
