The Hager Fikir Theatre ( am, ሃገር ፍቅር ቲያትር) is a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

. It is one of the oldest and foremost theatre in Ethiopian history; hosting as multipurpose artistic venue over half decades.

History

Previously a nightclub, the theatre was incorporated in 1935 by collaborative association Ye-hager Fikir Mahber. The formation originally aimed for preemptive union of Ethiopian nation and its

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...

against upcoming Italian full invasion of the country a year later. The first performance was produced outdoor set at Menelik Square and dramatic performance such as ''Fukera'' and ''Shilela'', traditional songs and poetry were followed through the stage. One of prominent figure and pioneer of Ethiopian drama Yoftahe Nigussie also appeared in the scene. At the onset of Italian occupation brace up, Ye-hager Fikir Mahber nevertheless resumed its underground development of the theatre, and predominantly influence the people against Italian aggression via producing variety of music, plays, dance and drama. In response, the

Fascist Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the ...

government violently imprisoned, torture and kill its members. This actually forced to cease the movement until Ethiopian

liberation Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

in 1941. Ye-hager Fikir Mahber then reinstated their work and relocated the theatre to warehouse in Piazza, which was renewed in 1942. Since

Ethiopian National Theatre The Ethiopian National Theatre is a national theatre in central Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ...

rose to fame, the Hager Fikir Theatre began modernized and more popular hosting several prominent figures such as

Tilahun Gessesse Tilahun Gessesse ( am, ጥላሁን ገሠሠ; 27 September 1940 – 19 April 2009) was an Ethiopian singer regarded as one of the most popular Ethiopian artist of the 20th century. Noted by his tenor voice, he was nicknamed "The Voice" during hi ...

and Aster Aweke thereafter. Ethiopian plays as well as

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential pla ...

and

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

literature were reworked in recent years. Besides, the Hager Fikir hosted rehearsal film shows on stage, especially in public holidays.

References

History of Ethiopian Theatre

Ethiopian Theatre in Amharic
{{coord, 9, 02, 15.69, N, 38, 45, 16.33, E, dim:50_scale:500_region:ET-AA_type:landmark_source:dewiki, display=title History of Ethiopia Buildings and structures completed in 1935 Theatres in Ethiopia Buildings and structures in Addis Ababa Culture in Addis Ababa 1930s establishments in Ethiopia 20th-century architecture in Ethiopia