Béjaïa – The play “The Witch and the Orphans,” performed Friday at the Abdelmalek Bouguermouh Regional Theatre, mesmerized the large number of children who flocked to the venue.
The theatre’s main hall was filled to capacity in the early evening, as children accompanied by their parents arrived well before the scheduled start to attend the premiere of the play, written and directed by playwright Ramila Tassaâdit and produced by the Béjaïa Regional Theatre.
Talented young actors shone in their roles, maintaining the audience’s attention for nearly an hour. The story follows three siblings—two brothers, Naâssane and Sami, and their sister Salma—orphans without a family, living in an orphanage run by an evil witch who exploits the children for begging to enrich herself.
Over the course of the play, the children encounter a kind wizard who helps them escape the witch’s exploitation and return to a dignified and peaceful life as innocent children.
Speaking to the press last Tuesday, Ramila Tassaâdit described the production as “a work rich in educational and human messages, affirming that theatre is a space for education and the building of values.” She added that the play also aims “to raise awareness of the dangers threatening children’s innocence, such as begging and certain social ills.”
According to the playwright, the show will tour several provinces across the country in the coming weeks, including rural villages, to allow as many children as possible to experience theatre. Producers also announced that the play will be performed in both of Algeria’s national languages, Arabic and Amazigh.
