Reflections on World Theater Day
Iraq’s theater industry struggles to regain its lost audience
BAGHDAD — Iraqi theater artists are using World Theater Day as a moment of reflection, acknowledging a decline in audience engagement and grappling with the reasons behind it.
Some blame a shift towards overcomplicated, academic productions that alienate viewers, while others point to a lack of funding and changing artistic tastes.
Theater artist Haqi Al-Shok lamented on Facebook, saying, “A theater without an audience is a waste of time,” mourning Iraq’s early theater pioneers like the artist Qasim Mohammed.
Jabbar Al-Mashhadani, an actor and director, told 964media that Iraqi theater has become divided between “dark, complex” academic works and “vulgar” commercial productions that drive families away due to a disregard for public tastes.
“Iraqi theater has delved into experimentation and academic work, abandoning understandable and audience-friendly performances,” he explained.
Al-Mashhadani highlighted that legacy audiences inherited from theater greats like Yousif Al-Ani, Sami Abdul Hamid, and Asaad Abdul Razzaq once waited in lines outside Baghdad Theater, with some shows running for months or years.
“The legacy audience … has vanished,” he said, lamenting the loss of the enthusiastic crowds that once filled theaters for months.
Financial constraints have improved in recent years with growing support from the government. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa’ Al-Sudani announced funding for Iraqi artists in 2023 allocating 13 billion dinars ($9.9 million), including 500 million dinars ($382,000) outside this initiative for hosting the Arab Theater Festival in Baghdad, according to the Union of Artists, which also mentioned that the government has set aside 2 billion dinars ($1.5 million) annually to support theatrical productions.
“Money alone does not make for distinguished theater,” he said, pointing to talented actors, directors, and writers who suffer from a lack of effective management in the industry, which he claimed was rife with nepotism and affected by the country’s politics.
Kazem Nassar, another theater director, highlighted the impact of a “tech revolution” on audiences as well, noting people’s easy access to a vast array of entertainment options, bypassing the traditional theater experience.
Nassar also suggested a generational shift, with younger audiences drawn to television dramas that offer quicker paths to fame for actors.