Tbilisi theatre troupe wins top award at Romanian festival

A Tbilisi-based theatre troupe has claimed the principal prize at this year's Babel International Theatre Festival in Romania, triumphing more than 30 companies from across the world.

Judges of the June 4-12 festival awarded the Vaso Abashidze Music and Drama State Theatre the Tony Bulandra Theatre Award, named after renowned 20th Century Romanian actor for their choreographic drama show Three Sisters.

The piece, staged by director Kote Purtseladze after a story by 19th Century Russian author Anton Chekhov, received the highest plaudit of the festival organisers.

It cast 11 Georgian actors in the drama, which has been performed to audiences in Georgia and abroad.

The Tbilisi-based theatre company was awarded the top prize of the Romanian theatre festival. Photo from the Vaso Abashidze Music and Drama State Theatre/Facebook.

The Babel International Theatre Festival showcased 31 theatre companies from countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and further afar.

In addition to the main prize, the Romanian event awarded five other prizes for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Prize for Popularity and Innovative Vision to collectives and individuals from Algeria, Armenia, Russia, Portugal and Macedonia.

The festival's jury was comprised of six international theatre experts.

Actors of the Vaso Abashidze Theatre perform in choreographic drama 'Three Sisters'. Photo from the Vaso Abashidze Music and Drama State Theatre/Facebook.

Established in 2007, the Babel International Theatre Festival has hosted some of the world's best theatre groups including the Volksbuehne Berlin, Germany and KAZE Theatre, Japan.

The Vaso Abashidze Music and Drama State Theatre has performed at several global festivals and venues in recent months.

The troupe toured the Colombo International Theatre Festival in Sri Lanka in April after appearing at the Tribeca Performing Arts Centre in lower Manhattan, New York, the United States in January.