Rwandan theatre stararrives at Playhouse

The Playhouse International Culture Arts Network (ICAN) in partnership with SEEDS (Solidarity Equality Education Diversity Support) will hold a series of coffee meetings, group sessions and physical theatre workshops with Hope Azeda of Mashirika Theatre Company, Rwanda.

During Hope’s stay from March 23 to the end of April she will create a platform enabling community workers and members of migrant communities to explore diversity and difference.

The aim of the residency is to provide local facilitators and community workers with practical performing arts skills that can be used to promote community integration.

She is a leading founder member of Mashirika Creative and Performing Arts (Kigali) one of Rwanda’s major theatre companies.

“Hope has already been introduced to our local community through the ICAN Exchange conference in October 2010” Elaine Forde ICAN co-ordinator said.

“Hope is really selective about the work she does, she is keen to work with communities that will benefit from her knowledge and skills. We’re delighted that Hope will invest one month working with our local communities.

“Through ICAN we commit to bringing international artists who can use art to make a difference and affect change in our society,” she added.

As a pioneering professional company, Mashirika are constantly exploring new ways to develop, to learn and to create exciting theatre. Mashirika performed in Kigali at the 10th anniversary commemoration of the Rwandan genocide, and at the G8 World Summit in Edinburgh in 2005.

Her work as a writer, performer and teacher has taken her to many theaters and universities around the world: the Caravan Festival (Copenhagen); the International Festival of the Arts (Sophia).

In addition, she has toured Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Africa, South Korea and the United States.

She has also been an artist-in-residence at the Institute for the Arts and Civic Dialogue (Cambridge, MA). She is currently president of the International Association of Theaters for Children and Young People (Rwanda) as well as sitting on its international executive committee and is also vice president of The Rwandan Association for Cineastes (IRIZA CART).

ICAN is a three year project which has been part-financed by the European Union’s Regional Development fund through EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE III) managed through Special EU Programmes Body.For more information contact Elaine Forde on (028)71 268027 or email elaine@derryplayhouse.co.uk or www.icanplayhouse.com