The Nepal International Theatre Festival (NITFEST) has started in Pokhara, Chitwan, and Belbari. The festival began in Pokhara on Saturday, and in Chitwan and Belbari on Sunday.
This is a parallel program to the ongoing festival in Kathmandu, as shared by the festival coordinator, Kedar Shrestha. The event in Pokhara is being held at the Gandharva Theatre in Gaighat, and it will continue until March 26. The Mayor of Pokhara, Dhanraj Acharya, inaugurated the festival.
The festival in Pokhara will feature six plays from five countries including Nepal, China, Japan, Tunisia, and Norway. Along with the plays, the festival will also include cultural displays, parades, workshops, and interactive activities. Some foreign plays being shown in Kathmandu will also be presented in Pokhara. Shrestha mentioned that NITFEST has been collaborating with theatre artists outside Kathmandu since its first edition.
NITFEST Begins in Chitwan and Belbari
The Belbari International Theatre Festival was inaugurated by Koshi Province MP Gyanendra Subedi, while the Chitwan International Theatre Festival was opened by Deputy Mayor of Bharatpur, Chitrasen Adhikari, and artist Bijay Baral.
In both of these festivals, Nepali and foreign plays will be staged for the next three days. In Belbari, six plays from Nepal, India, and Japan will be shown, alongside performances from local and student groups. The festival director, Bikas Budhathoki, confirmed this. In Chitwan, five foreign plays from Nepal, India, Japan, Iran, and Lithuania will be performed. Local and institutional plays will also be part of the program, as explained by festival director Pradeep Anjan.
Both festivals will include art exhibitions, poetry, and interactive discussions. The Belbari Festival is organized by the Belbari Pragya Pratishthan, while the Chitwan Festival is a joint effort by Karmi Chautari, Narayani Kala Mandir, and Tarang Theatre Group.
The events in Belbari will take place at the Tamu Buddhist Gumba, Belbari-1, and in Chitwan, the activities will be held at the Narayani Kala Mandir.
What’s Happening in Kathmandu on Sunday?
On Sunday, the fifth day of NITFEST in Kathmandu, the following performances will be staged at Mandala Theatre:
- Japan’s “Master Shoko and Margarita”
- India’s “Tamasa”
- Playback Theatre’s “Wisdom of Life”
- Outdoor performances: “Sounds of Mandal” and “Mac of Magic”.
A discussion session will also take place in the afternoon on the topic of “Politics and Art”, featuring speakers such as Sudan Kiranti, Ramkumari Jhankri, Thakur Gaire, and Pratima Gautam, with Prabhakar Gautam as the moderator.
The festival ends each day with music, dance, or poetry performances. The Mandala Theatre has been hosting the festival, which will continue until March 26.
