2026

Tbilisi Second International Theatre Conference

Shakespeare, Our Eternal Contemporary: Power, Politics, Performance

November 26-28, 2026

Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University, in collaboration with the International Association of Theatre Leaders (IATL), is pleased to announce Tbilisi Second International Theatre Conference.

Dedicated to the enduring relevance of William Shakespeare’s work, the conference will bring together Georgian and international scholars and theatre practitioners to explore the intersections of power, politics and performance in contemporary theatre.

The conference is inspired by the first Georgian translation of Jan Kott’s seminal book Shakespeare Our Contemporary, published by TAFU Press.

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Conference Chair: Professor Octavian Saiu

Conference Director: Ana Kvinikadze, PhD in Theatre Studies, International Relations Coordinator

Programme Supporter: Shakespeare Association of Georgia.

Funded by the Ministry of Culture of Georgia.

Conference Sponsor: Bank of Georgia.

We look forward to welcoming you to three days of international academic exchange and creative dialogue in Tbilisi!

The conference program is available at the following link

2025

Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University, in collaboration with the International Association of Theatre Leaders (IATL) and the Rustaveli National Theatre, is pleased to present

Tbilisi First International Theatre Conference “From Epic to Postdramatic: Brecht’s Theatrical Legacy in the Last 50 Years”

(Dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of Robert Sturua’s Landmark Production of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”)

Dates: 28–30 November 2025. Tbilisi, Georgia

The international program will feature renowned theatre practitioners and researchers from around the world, presenting contemporary approaches to the study of Brecht’s legacy - from the model of epic theatre to postdramatic forms. Participants include:

  • Octavian Saiu – Romanian theatre scholar, Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Conference Chair);
  • Patrick Primavesi – Professor and Director of the Institute for Theatre Studies at the University of Leipzig;
  • Noah Willumsen – Director of the Bertolt Brecht Archive of the Academy of the Arts in Berlin;
  • Armando Rotondi – Professor in Performance Theory, Institute of the Arts Barcelona;
  • Liviu Romanescu – Artistic Director of Teatrelli, a multidisciplinary performing arts space in Bucharest, Romania.

A special panel will be dedicated to the cultural and historical significance of Robert Sturua’s production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle. The conference will also engage young researchers, providing a unique opportunity for doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s students of the university specializing in theatre studies.

This program is implemented by Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University in partnership with the Rustaveli National Theatre and the International Association of Theatre Leaders (IATL).

Funded by the Ministry of Culture of Georgia and Tbilisi City Hall.

The program is supported by the Art Palace of Georgia.

The conference program is available at the following link: