Koffa - the bassinet

Αθήνα, 21/03/2025, εργαστήριο για εκπαιδευτικούς, Chabchoub Taoufik

Koffa - the bassinet

Chabchoub Taoufik, Artist, Theater Animator, Tunisia

WORKSHOP

Athens International Conference "Theatre/Drama & Inclusive Education"

Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENet-Gr)

Language: English/French
Limited number of participants

WORKSHOP SHORT DESCRIPTION

The narrative begins with a woman seeking to buy her daughter’s trousseau at the souk, armed with a basket. Shopkeepers, customers, and passers-by all claim the basket as their own, leading them to present their case before a judge.

The judge requests that each person describes the contents of the basket, allowing their imaginations to run wild:

-The first person shares their daily essentials: bread, groceries, spare parts for repairs, a newspaper, a packet of tobacco, and a phone recharge ticket.

-The second paints a picture of the city they inhabit or dream of settling in, highlighting its buildings, amenities, transportation, noise, waste management, law enforcement, and sense of security.

-The third person reveals their shopping plans, filled with hope and aspiration.

-The fourth shares their dreams—what they hope to achieve or what they may no longer dream of.

-The fifth discusses unfinished business and opportunities they wish they could pursue.

-The sixth offers insights into their own unique experiences and dreams.

The workshop aims to illustrate that humanity can thrive through sharing and collaboration.

Welcome to an interactive workshop featuring multiple speakers, designed to engage and inspire!

The show unfolds as follows: a storyteller will captivate the audience with a narrative filled with various actions and diverse characters. What makes this performance unique is that audience members will step into the roles of these characters. The storyteller will facilitate this interaction by inviting spectators to participate, giving them the opportunity to speak, hold objects, or don costumes and accessories.

As the storyteller guides them, participants will be selected based on their reactions to embody different characters within the tale.

Imagine our audience is comprised of individuals from various countries. Each spectator is posed a thought-provoking question: "If this basket belongs to you, can you describe what’s inside? Name one or more objects that symbolize your country—be it a food, an invention, a book, or a monument."

The overarching theme of this story is that humanity can thrive when we embrace sharing and collaboration. It invites spectators to ponder critical questions: Who does human civilization belong to? Who owns the heritage of cultures? What criteria do we use to evaluate others? Aren’t we all interconnected at our roots?

These inquiries are essential for sparking meaningful debates about our shared human experience.

We aim for an engaged interactive session, emphasizing that no singular leader governs the world, and no civilization is superior to another. Each individual, community, and culture has its own rhythm, understanding of life, progress, wealth, and knowledge.

Chabchoub Taoufik, is a 62-year-old Tunisian citizen. He can be reached at: chabchoub_taoufik@yahoo.fr. He holds a degree in Dramatic Arts and serve on the board of the Korba Amateur Theatre Festival. He also is the President of the Quantara Association and a co-founder of the International School Theatre Festival of Tunisia. Throughout his career, he has worked as a school theatre director, comedian, playwright, actor, and storyteller. In the realm of cinema, he has served as both an actor and stage manager in various Tunisian and international films, as well as a TV and stage manager in the visual arts.