A Key Figure in Tunisian Cultural Scene
Lassaâd Ben Abdallah has greatly contributed to shaping the country's theatrical landscape. As an actor, producer, director, artistic director, theater teacher, and writer, he has played all these roles, and many more, with constant demand and passion. As the president of the jury of the current edition of the JTC (Journées Théâtrales de Carthage), he granted us this interview.
Have you recently taken a step back from the JTC?
I have been involved with the JTC for years, since the time when the festival was held every two years. I was a member of the steering committee, president of the selection committee... They even paid tribute to me in 2021. I have never taken a step back because the JTC is part of us. It's an essential event for everyone in the theater world.
Two major theater events took place a few weeks before the JTC. Doesn't this encroach on the festival's place?
The question is rather whether our territory can support such a calendar. The problem is that several major events are scheduled over a very short period, and then nothing. It would perhaps be better to spread them out over time, for the good of the theater and to allow more people to attend. We need a real vision, a cultural policy that can enhance our events, avoid repetition and saturation. That being said, the JTC still has the particularity of being open to world theater.
You published an essay titled "The Tragic End of Theater". Do you have a pessimistic view of this art, as the title suggests?
No, the title was intentionally provocative. I wrote this text during the Covid period, when the performing arts were shut down. The theater we see today is no longer the theater of text and staging as we knew it. The performative aspect takes over. This trend of focusing everything on the actor, who has become predominant, relegates the author and the director to the role of facilitators, rather than creators with a vision. Moreover, theater in its classical format hardly exists anymore. In the past, there was the Tunis City troupe and other ensembles that had forged their identity, like Gafsa, but which we hardly hear about today. There are 25 centers for dramatic and scenic arts in the cities, most of which are very inactive. With the integration of dance, music, and new technologies, can we still call the current form "theater"? We must develop contemporary theater in order to stay in line with global trends, integrating dance, performance, and new scenic forms, while maintaining a strong link with classical theater and continuing to enhance universal texts. Unfortunately, we hardly put on Shakespeare anymore, for example. We should implement a specific policy for this type of theater, aimed primarily at students. Even literary Arabic is becoming increasingly rare on stage.
Are these changes related to the desire to attract more audience?
Yes, it's possible. I've played in both small venues and in front of thousands of spectators, and I wouldn't be able to say which one is "better". Comedic theater, for example, attracts a lot of people. But ultimately, it's not the number that matters most. Is it really essential to have a large audience that comes mainly to laugh, stays on their phone, or talks during the performance? We need to question ourselves and ask the right questions.
Some theater professionals tend to scorn comedic or light theater, in the name of defending more "substantial" theater. What is your point of view?
I don't defend a particular genre, but rather quality. I have no problem with stand-up, one-man shows... Everything can coexist. Molière himself did comedic theater, and even absurd theater can be funny when approached from a certain angle. What matters is preserving the ethics of the profession, essential values like in any field, without falling into conservatism. Ultimately, the question is: does the audience need to go to the theater to be transformed? That's the very essence of theater.
Why, in your opinion, are comedic pieces and musical comedies not programmed during the JTC and events dedicated exclusively to theater, when they are often found in summer festivals?
It's primarily an artistic line specific to each event. The JTC, for example, has an Arab-African specificity and identity, and welcomes shows from around the world as part of a competition. The exclusivity of the works presented is a central element. This is one of the festival's particularities. The goal is to offer something new, not pieces that have already been widely broadcast during the summer season or played for several years. Some spectators travel specifically to discover new creations. We therefore prioritize works that have not been seen multiple times and which, by their nature or artistic orientation, have less chance of being programmed in summer festivals.
Do you think street theater has its place alongside "stage" theater?
They are simply two different specialties. Street theater is not something new, actually. I find it magnificent. We had already programmed it years ago as part of "24 hours of non-stop theater in Kef". Some troupes are entirely dedicated to it, and there are specialized festivals. It requires very rigorous organization, since performances take place in public space, which is open and difficult to control. In Kef, with a French team, we even transformed a truck into a mobile stage to play directly in the street. It's live entertainment in its purest form. I think we could create a similar truck capable of reaching the most remote areas, a bit like the Cinématdour.
After your first book, an essay, then a first novel and a second one in preparation, do you plan to fully convert to writing?
A novelist is not so different from an actor on television or in cinema, a director, or a festival director. I am an artist, I design aesthetic universes, and I constantly produce ideas, images, discourses... Only the interface changes. The public for Francophone literature is reduced compared to that of the shows I'm used to, but you can't imagine the pleasure I take in writing.
