Sharjah: H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended the opening ceremony of the 35th Sharjah Theatre Days on Tuesday evening at the Cultural Palace.

The annual festival showcases 14 theatrical performances and brings together artists and theatre researchers from across the Arab world.

H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah, presented the "Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Award for Best Arab Theatrical Work 2025 to Wafa Taboubi, director of the Tunisian play “The Runaways.". He also presented the Sharjah Award for Playwriting, awarding first place to Maryam Abdullah Mubarak from Oman for her play A Will Before I Was Born, second place to Ahmed Abdullah Rashid from the UAE for He Harm Himself, and third place to Bader Al Hamdani from Oman for The Station.

The ceremony also introduced the judging panel, comprising Dr Ajaj Salim from Syria as Chairman, Engineer Walid Al-Zaabi from the UAE, writer Mufleh Al-Adwan from Jordan, Dr Hatem Darbal from Tunisia, and Dr Rania Yahya from Egypt.

Eleven theatrical productions are competing for the Sharjah Theatre Days awards, with the judging panel selecting seven to be showcased at the competition level. These include Choosing a Title by the Sharjah Modern Theatre Troupe, The Depths of the Soul by the Kalba Folk Arts and Theatre Association, Suna by the Dubai National Theatre, Half a Night by the Khorfakkan Arts Theatre, Hair Qarmousha by the Sharjah National Theatre, The Dictionary of Disappearances by the Yas Culture, Arts and Theatre Association, and We Will Restore It to Its Former Glory by the Youth Arts Theatre.

The other plays featured in the competition’s parallel programme include When the Soul Chose to Stand by the Umm Al Quwain National Theatre, Empty Suitcases by the Dibba Culture, Arts and Theatre Association, The Dry Land by the Fujairah Theatre, and Imagine by the Abu Dhabi Folk Arts and Theatre Association.

The 35th Sharjah Theatre Days programme also showcases two plays from the Kalba Short Plays Festival, Without Certainty and You Are Not a Cave. Additionally, the festival will host a symposium titled The Director's Visual Identity: Between Stability and Transformation, bringing together researchers and theatre practitioners from across the Arab world.

The festival will also feature the 14th Sharjah Forum for Outstanding Arab Theatre Students, an annual event that honours top performers from Arab theatre institutes and colleges. The forum offers students the chance to engage with Sharjah Theatre Days, explore the local cultural scene, and take part in lectures, workshops, and cultural excursions.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Dr Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Ruler’s Office; Abdullah Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture; Dr Mansour Mohammed bin Nassar, Chairman of Sharjah Government Legal Department; Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, Head of of Protocol and Hospitality Department; Salem Ali Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Sharjah City Municipal Council; and a number of senior officials, artists, intellectuals, media professionals, and theatre lovers and enthusiasts.