By The Haitian Tribune Staff
October 31, 2026
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Residents of Bougsemtenga are helping bring the Récréâtrales theatre festival to life, transforming neighborhood courtyards and streets into performance spaces for its 14th edition, which runs from October 24 to 31.
The festival has been developed with the community since it began. This year, its 550-meter alleyway stage features work by 68 artists and technical crew members from 12 countries. The program includes plays, public readings, music, discussions, and performances for children.
Choreographer Djibril Ouattara spent months preparing the opening production, Les Mouches, with women and young people from Bougsemtenga. The work reflects on human connection, compassion, and the capacity to create beauty.
Ouattara said the process required him to learn from the participants’ own movement and experience. Rather than impose a familiar dance style, he worked with what each person could express through their body.
Agathe Serré, a member of the Bougsemtenga Women’s Association, has participated in the festival since 2006. She said the rehearsals demanded energy and commitment, but the group completed the production with pride and would welcome the opportunity to perform it again.
The festival has also helped local young people gain experience in the arts and event production. Claude Ilboudo, known as “Gohou,” first joined performances as a child and is now a professional actor. He said the festival creates opportunities for young residents to contribute as volunteers and in dance, theatre, and technical roles.
Organizers say staging performances within the neighborhood makes the arts more accessible, allowing residents and visitors of different ages to experience theatre in familiar community spaces.
Events continue throughout the day and into the night, with performances held in family courtyards and on open-air stages. The festival concludes Saturday, October 31.
The Haitian Tribune World
