katalogu

International Puppet Theatre Festival Albania 2018
www.puppetfest-al.com

The Albanian capital is turning into a cultural hub for the region and beyond. For six days
Tirana hosted the International Puppet Theatre Festival Albania. This festival showcased
original performances by puppet theatres from all over the world. Theatres and companies
from China, Turkey, Spain, Romania and Albania performed every day at Metropol Theatre
and at the Skanderbeg Square. They presented new ways of communications, traditions,
exchange of experiences and cultures through puppetry.
All the puppet plays enticed the imagination of all people no matter their age.
The festival will always be open to all forms of puppet expression, techniques, genres or
themes.
The main thrust is to raise the level of puppet expression in all fields of puppetry.
Keeping up with the contemporary tendencies in puppetry, not forgetting the tradition
and peculiarity of different puppetry schools, is our guiding idea and requires constant
organizational and program-based inquiry and improvement.
Our mission is to point at some new achievements and views on puppetry art to professional
puppetry creators, as well as to audience and puppetry lovers.
These kind of Festivals brings us closer to the cultures of the world with the intense and
essential look of puppet theatres, a thousand-year-old theatre that re-emerges endowed
with the infinite forms that today define the puppet’s art.

E-mail: klausfilmassociation@gmail.com

Klau’s Film Association is a non-profit organization working in the field of fine arts and
theatre productions from 2007 till now. The grants come from applying in the forms from
the Ministry of Culture or Tirana Municipality. It is with this very little budget that this
association made wonderful shows and lately a huge International Puppet Theatre Festival
Project.
This Festival established the first International Puppet Theatre Festival in Albania for children.
It offered exchanges of experiences, cultures and traditions between different countries.
It built communication bridges and international cooperation in order to create a dignified
and welcoming atmosphere of a country with cultural heritage and traditions such as Albania.
It promoted equality, peace, education and culture through the language of the beautiful art
of puppet’s theater and all its gender and techniques.
It built communication bridges for the exchange and recognition of the traditions and cultures
of different nations
Our Association does also charity shows and support orphans and children in need.
Other artistic works are:
• Four Friends (Young audience show) 2010 National Puppet Theatre
• 3 Stubborn giants (puppet show) 2012 National Puppet Theatre
• Cathedral of Paris (musical) 2014 National Comedy Theatre
• 1 June for children 2014 National Children’s Cultural Centre
• “Gulliver” A journey to Lilliput (puppet show) 2015 to National Puppet Theatre
• Don Quixote (adult Audience) 2016 National Theatre
• Romance in 2025 (adult Audience) 2017 Aleksander Moisiu Theatre
• Don Quixote (Puppet Show) 2017 Metropol Theatre
• International Puppet Theatre Festival Albania 2018

KLAJD YMERI

Klajd Ymeri
Theatre Director / Stage Designer / Costume Designer/ Puppet Designer
President of Klau’s Film Association
Born in Tirana on 04/02/1971
1985-1989 Studied at the Lyceum in Tirana
1991-1995 Graduated as Theatre Scenographer and Costume Designer at the Academy of
Fine Arts in Tirana.
1996-1999 Was Appointed as Scenographer and Costume Designer at “Aleksander Moisiu”
Theatre
1998-2000 Appointed as Pedagogue at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana
2000-2005 Member of the Presidency of the Albanian “Artists and Writers“
2014-2017 Theatre Director and Stage Designer at The National Theatre
1994-2017 During these years he has created a collection of about 130 collaborations as:
Theatre Director, Stage Designer, Costume Designer, Puppet Designer
and Painter
His artistic works are nominated and rewarded.

TURKEY
27 Maj, 2018

CENGIZ ÖZEK - SHADOW THEATRE

At the age of 14 (1978), Cengiz Özek learned how to handcraft Karagöz figures from his arts teacher Ali Kıyak, who was
a student of the great Karagöz master Ragip Tugtekin. Without any additional lesions in performing, Özek developed
his skills on his own and made his first show at the Atatürk Bookstore in Istanbul.
Özek opened his first Karagöz exhibition at Kazım Tasken Arts Gallery when he was 17 years old (1981). After much
interest by the visitors, he continued to host further exhibitions at Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia Museum and private
galleries. Until today he has opened more than 30 exhibitions, also in foreign countries such as Rome (1996), Strasbourg
(1997 & 1999), Germany – Leipzig (2008), Colombia – Cali (2003 & 2014), Malmedy, Belgium (2015). Collections
of Özek can be found permanently at the National Museum of Holland, Pakistan Lahor Puppet Museum, Linden-Museum
Stuttgart and Taipei Puppet Museum.
He studied miniature painting and drawing which gave him the chance to take part in restoration projects of important
places such as the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Grand Bazar and the Hagia Irini Church.
In 1986 he entered the Istanbul Theatre Conservatory. After his graduation he worked as Director, Manager, Stage
Designer, Actor, Costume Designer and Graphic Designer at important theatres such as the National Theatre, Istanbul
City Theatre, Bakırköy Municipality Theatre, Dormen Theatre and Kenter Theatre. He was the Stage Designer of various
theatre plays at Kenter Theatre.
Cengiz Özek wanted to pursuit a different direction with Turkish shadow theatre. After performing most of the classical
Karagöz plays, he decided to produce new performances with the spirit of today’s audiences and emphasize his work
on manipulation technique and structure of today’s puppet theatre. Thus he created “Magic Tree”, “Garbage Monster”
and “Magic Lamp”.
The first production was “Magic Tree”, a play based on the shamanistic sources of Karagöz and compiles elements from
a selection of the authentic and old performances still known.
In 1998 he established the Istanbul International Puppet Festival, which has continued annually until today. The main
goal of the festival is to introduce different styles of puppet theatre to Turkish audience as well as to promote the art
of Karagöz.
In 2013 he established the Istanbul Karagöz Puppet Foundation to make a platform for the art. The foundation is
currently aiming at opening a museum of puppet theatre in Istanbul.

“Magic Tree”
This dynamic piece is based on the traditional Karagöz plays of the 18th and
19th century Here you will find every little detail belonging to a classical
Karagöz play.
This play, which is primarily based on visual actions, is a modern interpretation
of the shamanic characteristics of Karagöz plays. The language is in Turkish,
but the show is visual enough to be understood no matter age or nationality.
The authentic instruments of Karagöz, “nareke” and “def”, are used in the
play to underline the dramatic tension of the story.

27 May
Metropol Theatre
Show and Backstage

27 May
Scanderbeg Square
Show and Backstage

TURKISH NIGHT AND AWARD

CENGIZ ÖZEK SHADOW THEATRE
AWARDS
“Best Actor”
(Magic Tree)
“Puppet is a Human Too”
Puppet Festival
Warsawa, Poland
“Best Performance”
(Magic Tree)
International Festival of
Children’s Joy
Bucharest, Romania
“Best Video Screening”
(Garbage Monster)
International Wayang Festival
Jakarta, Indonesia
“Special Jury Award”
(Cengiz Özek)
Ankara Critics Union
Turkey
“Service to Turkish Puppetry”
(Cengiz Özek)
UNIMA Turkey
“Karagöz Award”
(Cengiz Özek)
Children’s Foundation
Turkey
UNIMA Poland Special Award
(Magic Tree)
Festival of Solo Puppeteers
Lodz, Poland
“Best Script” & “Best Actor”
(Garbage Monster)
International Marionette Festival
Hanoi Vietnam
“Best Traditional Interpretation”
(Garbage Monster)
UNIMA Hungary
Sarospatak, Hungary
“Best Manipulation &
Best Performance”
(Magic Tree)
World Puppet Festival
Prague, Czech Republic
“Contribution to Puppet Theatre”
(Cengiz Özek)
Anatolia Theatre Awards
Turkey
“Theatre Artist of the Year”
(Cengiz Özek)
Terakki Foundation
Turkey

ROMANIA

PUCK PUPPET THEATRE - ROMANIA

ABOUT ”PUCK” PUPPET THEATRE
PUCK Puppet Theatre from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, was founded in 1950 and its history was made
by artistic personalities such as: Kovács Ildikó, Aureliu Manea, Mona Marian, Maria Mierlut, Varga
Ibolya, Rumi László, Pály János, Bogdan Ulmu, Alexandru Rusan, Edit Botar, Virgil Svintiu, Eugenia
Tãrãsescu Jianu, Epaminonda Tiotiu, Sandu Marian, Horea Popand PéterJános, Doina Dejica, Frunzina
Anghel, Bothos Julia, Csortán Márton, György László and Calin Mureșan.
Some of there ference shows in the repertoire of PUCK Theatre are: A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Ubu the King, Widow Karnyó, Sânziana and Pepelea, Animal Stories, Cinderella, The Puss in Boots,
Endless Youth and Life without Death, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, The Reed Princess, and
many more.
Since 2002, PUCK Theatre organizes “Puck” International Festival of Puppet And Marionette Theatres,
with important puppet theaters from Romania and Europe being invited. The festival has
reached 16 editions in 2017, bringing together valuable national and international artists. Also, in
2017 PUCK Theatre, in collaboration with ESUA Association and Lions International, organized the
first edition of Wonder Puck Street Festival. Its second edition will take place in September 2018.
Since 2006 Puck Theatre is running a program of performances for adults, using the means of
puppetry in experimental performances: Old Clown for Hire, The Mirror Chamber, Bubocska, Ivan
Turbinca etc.

“The Angels Street”
A non-verbal show thought and directed by Decebal Marin, speaks of the
link between the human and angelic worlds. In a poetic language specific to
marionettes, there are aspects of the everyday life which, at the intervention
of the angels, manage to awaken good in the soul of man, making him more
aware of the beauty around him.
It is the first show of this type that puts a special emphasis on emotional
intelligence, aiming to reconstruct that bridge linking the rationality of the
great people to the purity and innocence of the child’s soul.
“This show is not about learning something, but about a delicate, sensible
awakening of a curtain that is scenically transfigured into a certain key.
We aim to touch the soul of the one who is open to see in depth. “(Decebal
Marin)

28 May
Metropol Theatre
Show and Backstage

28 May
Afternoon
Show and Backstage

ROMANIAN NIGHT AND AWARD

1. Best Puppet Design, awarded to Decebal MarinandIoan
BătăiosuatThe International Festival of Children’s Theatre
in Subotica, Serbia (2017)
PUCK PUPPET THEATRE - ROMANIA
AWARDS
2. The Prize for Puppetry Excellence, awarded to the acting
ensemble of The Street of Angels at The International
Festival of Children’s
Theatre in Subotica, Serbia (2017)
3. The Prize for Creativity and Excellence in Matters of
Traditional Puppetry, awarded to the entire team at TheInternational
Festival of Contemporary Animation, ImPulse
(2017)

ALBANIA

METROPOL THEATRE - ALBANIA

ABOUT ”METROPOL THEATRE”
The Metropol Theatre is the Albanian capital’s theatre, subordinated by the Tirana Municipality. His
mission intends to achieve Albanian and world masterpieces with a high artistic level, which promotes
inclusiveness, constructive dialogue, and universal human values. The vision of the Metropolitan
Theater is to create a standard of quality in the realization of the theatrical performances and
professional trainings of the artistic staff. The theatre is committed to create for the community
of all generations; children, teenagers, adults. The Metropol theatre aims to provide an intimate
atmosphere where this diverse audience is given the opportunity to reflect, respond and engage
in the theatre that serves the education, entertainment and outlook expansion inspiring in quality.

“Don Quixote”
With the collaboration of the Metropol Theater in Tirana, Klau’s Film Association
builded the Don Quixote Puppet Show with all the characters, scenographies and
costumes. Presentation The spirit of Don Quixote continues, even now in 2018.
Cervantes gave life to the bravest knight-errant in the history of literature whose
impact has been notable in painting, film, music, poetry, literature and, of course,
theater. Hand in hand with the puppets and the narration of the actors, we go
through the story, with lots of humor, to create a positive predisposition of the
child towards the Cervantes work and to introduce it into the cultural knowledge
of this classical novel, noted as the book of books. Synopsis In the first part of this
exciting story, we will find an overflowing action of Don Quixote, and a quiet but
very sweet Sancho Pancha. Then the rampant imagination of Quixote goes through
battles, challenges, fights, loves, storms and impossible nonsenses that we will
live with the first exit from home of our protagonist. The confrontation with the
windmills is the most beautiful moment of the show. The children see what he is
seeing and fighting, giants. Don Quixote had been so engrossed in the reading of the
novels of chivalry that he came to lose his mind, but that was never an impediment
for him to continue putting on his armor and looking for new adventures with his
faithful squire Sancho Pancha and his horse Rocinante in the desperate research for
Dulcinea. In the second part of the show he goes to the Inn to have some rest, tired
of all the battles and the long road. He presents himself to the innkeeper and his
wife as a nobleman but he destroys their Inn and their wine.

29 May
Metropol Theatre
Show and Backstage

29 May
Scanderbeg Square
Show and Backstage

ALBANIAN NIGHT AND AWARD

METROPOL THEATRE

SPAIN

ÁNGELES DE TRAPO - SPAIN

ABOUT ”ÁNGELES DE TRAPO” Puppet Theatre Company
Ángeles de trapo is a family-owned company with more than 30 years of experience in puppet
theatre, run by Iolanda Atalla, Julio, Maicol and Wagner Gallo. Since the company was established it
has been recognized for the professional level of its theatrical productions during all these years.
The company is always trying to innovate, to surprise audience and to break away from the established
preconceptions in the world of puppet theatre. Its last productions have been included in the
most famous national and international festivals and have won several awards. Its performances
have traveled across many different countries such as Portugal, Switzerland, France, Italy, Brazil,
Albania, Sweden and Uruguay.

“Error 404”
Error 404 is a performance without words addressed to both children and teenagers,
an audience increasingly used to new technologies, like Steve, our main character,
a run-of-the-mill young boy with a simple and ordinary life, who is absolutely
immersed in a world full of electronic devices.
This delicate and emotional play encourages you to reflect about the meaning of
life, the wonders that life offers us and what we often overlook.
4.04am, dreams and nightmares take control of Steve’s night, beside him are four
cold walls which are witness of his long and boring days in front of illuminated
screens, surrounded by videogames, involved in intangible social networks and
consumed by all sort of technological objects willing to absorb Steve’s treasured
time. But today nothing is the same, after a series of unusual events Steve gets
involved in a strange incident that will force him to make the biggest mistake of his
life. Or maybe not.

30 May
Metropol Theatre
Show and Backstage

30 May
Scanderbeg Square
Show and Backstage

SPANISH NIGHT AND AWARD

Our play ‘Error 404’ was awarded at I International Puppet
Theatre Festival (Albania 2018)
Best show award at FIT Festitíteres (Alicante 2017) - ‘El
carruaje de los sueños de Andersen’
ÁNGELES DE TRAPO Puppet Theatre
Company - SPAIN
AWARDS
Best show award at Festival de Títeres y Teatro en la Calle
TitiriYébenes (Toledo 2016) - ‘Viajeros del carrusel’
Special mention of the jury at Festival I Teatri del Mondo
(Italy 2014) - ‘Viajeros del carrusel’

CHINA

CHINESE HAND PUPPET PERFORMANCE

Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) is a comprehensive university of performing arts, with the focus
on theatre training and studies and a history of almost 70 years. Co-sponsored by the Ministry of
Culture of China and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, and reporting to the Shanghai
Municipal Education Commission, STA is one of the best art institutions of higher education in China.
After decades of development, STA has grown from a single discipline school into an outstanding
comprehensive university of performing arts in China.
STA has cultivated thousands of artists in various professional fields for the country, and many of
the graduates have become leading experts and artists with national and international reputation
in the fields of drama, Chinese opera, film & TV, dance, literature and fine arts.
STA is devoted to building high-level international exchange programs, such as the Theatre School
Directors Forum, International Experimental Theatre Festival, and the Asian-Pacific Bureau for
Theatre Schools of UNESCO Chair - International Theatre Institute. Through these programs, STA
has expanded international vision of its faculty members and students, while its international reputation
grows.

“The prodigal son”
“Knocking out the tiger”
“Daming Courtyard”
The scene is set in the Song Dynasty (960-1279AD). At that time, one of the
Liangshan rebels Lu Junyi was caught and thrown into the prison in Daming courtyard.
In order to rescue him, just at the night of the Lantern Festival. The heads of the
Liangshan rebels dressed up as the wanderers of acrobatics to Daming, hunters and
lion charmers. By making good fur of the guards at the town gate and the service
men in the courtyard, they mingled with the masses into the town.

31 May
Metropol Theatre
Show and Backstage

31 May
Scanderbeg Square
Show and Backstage

CHINESE NIGHT AND AWARD

http://en.sta.edu.cn/content.aspx?id=133

1 JUNE Scanderbeg Square / Show and Backstage
DSA
Part of the final day of the
International Puppet Theatre
Festival Albania was the folk
costume parade with the kids of
Down Syndrome Albania. “We are
different but equal”. “We celebrate
together”. They added colours to
the festival with their happy faces
and shiny eyes.

Blood donation
Klaus film association included in this festival one
of the biggest world topic of the moment with the
collaboration of Keit, the best clinic in Albania, which
has made the blood donation a topic from a long
time.
The representative troupes of the International
Puppet Theatre Festival Albania became part of
the campaign “Donate blood for the thalassemia
children.
Donating blood is one of the easiest ways to help
save lives
Spanish Team
Chinesse Team

Red Cross
Red Cross Albania joined
International Puppet Theatre
Festival Albania in a charity show
from the Albanian troupe of
Metropol Theatre. This show aimed
to make life easier to the orphan
and children in need. At the end
of the show we shared hugs with
them and the Red Cross shared
presents on Children’s day. We all
wanted to support by saying “You
are not alone”

FESTIVAL STAFF
Festival Director:
General Manager:
General Coordinator:
Coordinator:
Coordinator:
Curator:
Graphic design:
Klajd Ymeri
Aurora Qazimi
Adonis Filipi
Brikena Petritaj
Eneida Capo
Edmond Rira
Iceberg Communication
METROPOL THEATRE STAFF
Special thanks to everyone who participated
and helped on the first edition of the
International Puppet Theatre Festival Albania
“Skanderbeg”
We are thankful and appreciative
of your support!
Marketing:
PR:
Photo & Video:
Technical coordinating:
Sound:
Lighting:
Assistant:
Stage technician:
OPEN AIR STAGE STAFF
Administrator:
Engineer:
Technicians:
Danier Shkurti
Anila Mema
Ergys Meta
Andon Koco
Genc Resuli
Julian Llukani
Besart Çani
Artur Hamataj
Hysni Loka
Edlira Dingu
Edmond Dingu
Klaidi Dingu
Ervin Maçi
Spartak Paja

TURKEY
Magic Tree
A show by:
Assistant:
ROMANIA
The Street of Angels
Cast and crew
Written and directed by:
Music by:
Stage design:
Puppet design:
Sculpture:
Painting:
Cast:
Technical coordinating:
Lighting:
Sound:
Stage technicians:
Costumes:
Carpentry:
Mechanisms:
Stage production:
Settings:
Theatre manager:
Cengiz Özek
Aziz Murat Aslan
Decebal Marin
Traian Păcurar
Decebal Marin
Ioan Bătăiosu
Decebal Marin
Florin Marin
Elena Ilaș
Andreea Bolovan
Ion Iurcu
Robert Gutunoiu
Andra Ștefan
Mihai Pamfiloiu
Călin Negrea
Nagy Attila
Cosmin Cîrlea,
Bogdan Motoșcă
Ani Susana,
Augusta Bugnariu
Tudor Motoșcă
Vasile Groza
Mihai Pamfiloiu
Tudorița Gavriș
Emanuel Petran
ALBANIA
Don Kishot
A show by:
Music by:
Cast:
Technical coordinating:
Sound:
Lighting:
SPAIN
ERROR 404
Author:
Directed by:
Puppeteer:
Wood carving:
Costume:
Set and audiovisual:
Style correction and
linguistic advice:
Music:
Klajd (Laid) Ymeri
Kristi Popa
Ismail Shino
Armando Mehmeti
Xhulia Musagalliu
Kristo Bace
Klaudia Piroli
Aurora Qazimi
Andon Koco
Genc Resuli
Julian Llukani
Wagner Gallo
Julio Gallo
Wagner Gallo
Wagner Gallo
Antonio Martín
Iolanda Atalla
Wagner Gallo
Sara Paredes
Kevin Macleod
CHINA
Directed by:
Cast:
Wenhui Shi
Yongsong Hong
Qingyi Shi
Weihong Chen
Yaping Su
Jingjing Xu

We would like to thank our generous sponsors and partners for making this
1 st edition of the International Puppet Theatre Festival possible

Embassy of
The People’s Republic of China

Looking forward to 2019

A special thanks go to master
Elton Saraçi for the beautiful gift,
the festival cup which was located
in Skanderbeg Square

Tirana, Albania 2018