Royal Festival - Royal Festival

For 65 years, the Royal Festival has been a showcase of the diversity and excellence
of Belgian French-language theatre.

Established by the esteemed Théâtre National de Bruxelles in 1959, it has evolved and adapted to the changing cultural landscape over the years.

Each summer, the festival brings together a curated selection of top-notch performances from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

These shows are complemented by presentations from internationally acclaimed companies hailing from countries such as Canada, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, France, and more, as well as exclusive premieres.

Since 2018, the festival has expanded its scope to encompass a wide array of performing arts, including circus, musical performances, new magic, object theatre, puppetry, theatre for young audiences, stand-up comedy, mentalism, visual performances, and more.

Closely tied to the heritage of Spa, the festival is fortunate to host its events in venues that are predominantly listed, adding to the cultural richness of the experience.

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History

1959

The Spa Theatre Festival was inaugurated in 1959 by the Théâtre National de Belgique, under the direction of Jacques Huisman. As part of the institution's decentralization initiative, it primarily featured productions from TNB's previous season, along with previews of upcoming season's new works.

1988

In 1988, under the leadership of Billy Fasbender and André Debaar, the Festival underwent a transformation. It evolved into a platform for showcasing French-speaking community theatre productions, attracting participation from numerous theatres during the two-week event. Both revivals and new creations were featured in the repertoire.

1999

In 1999, Armand Delcampe assumed the festival's general management responsibilities.

2002

Subsequently, on October 29, 2002, the Festival entered into a program agreement with the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, a commitment that has been renewed ever since.

2017

Armand Delcampe and Cécile Van Snick jointly oversaw the artistic and administrative direction of the Festival until the end of 2015. Following this, Cécile Van Snick continued in the role alone until 2017.

2018

In 2018, Axel De Booseré assumed leadership of the event, ushering in a significant change: the Spa Theatre Festival transformed into the Royal Festival, embracing all forms of performing arts, with a particular emphasis on circus and musical performances accessible to a broad audience.

The Royal Festival serves as a unique gathering ground for all theatre companies within the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, dedicated to showcasing the work and talent of our country’s institutions, companies, and artists, while fostering genuine engagement with international audiences.

Each year, the Festival is committed to supporting debut creations premiered during the event, offering a platform for both professionals and festival attendees to experience these inaugural performances.

By transcending barriers between genres and disciplines, the Royal Festival aims to cultivate a popular event accessible to audiences of all backgrounds, from enthusiasts to novices alike. Special emphasis is placed on hosting major intergenerational events suitable for audiences as young as 8 or 10 years old.

With an impressive 96% occupancy rate and a rise in attendance from 10,500 to 12,500 in 2023, the 64th edition of the Royal Festival marked a pivotal moment for future growth and influence.

In November 2023, the Festival was honored with the Grand Prix de l'Union Professionnelle des Métiers de la Communication, further affirming its significance and impact.

Head of the Festival

Axel de Booseré

Axel De Booseré 2018 © Dominique Houcmant-Goldo

Actor – Director

An actor, educator, and primarily a director, Axel De Booseré crossed paths with set designer Maggy Jacot in 1999, initiating a collaboration that spanned 12 years on productions for Compagnie Arsenic (including Le Dragon, Éclats d'Harms Cabaret, Macbeth, Dérapages, Le Géant de Kaillass, among others), where he also serves as artistic director. Since 2014, Axel has joined forces with Maggy Jacot and Compagnie Pop-Up, co-producing shows with leading institutions of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Their collaborations include Alpenstock, staged over 70 times in Belgium, France, and Switzerland, as well as Juke-Box Opéra, Ubus (produced by Mons and Pilzen, Capitals of Culture in 2015), Vous êtes uniques, and Flash Party at the Royal Festival. As a dynamic duo, they have brought to life Mephisto by Thierry Debroux at the Théâtre Royal du Parc in 2017, along with Peter Pan (2022) and Pinocchio (2023) by Thierry Janssen. Since 2018, Axel holds the position of director at the Spa Royal Festival.

Team

Director Axel De Booseré
Assistant to the director Sarah Beaufays
Assistant to the financial director Caroline Becker
Technical director Matthew Higuet
Head of communications & press officer Justine Donnay
Communications assistant Alexia Rorive
Ticketing manager Emilie Dewit
Ticketing support Laurence Colinet, Catherine De Michele & Fanny Goblet
Public and artists welcome, volunteers manager Fanny Watelet
Bar and catering manager Chef sur mesure
Pressing, dressing Soline Brunet & Klara Kovacs
Team welcome Alice Devaux
Signage and visibility assistant Cyril Geyskens
Stage managers Juan Borrego, John Cooper, Hadrien Jeangette

Members of the Board

BOARD

President Adrien Undorf
Vice President Lucien Brodure
Secretary Nicolas Haesbroeck
Treasurer Laura Bonazza

MEMBERS

Anne-Catherine Beckers, Caroline Bloemers, Laetitia Bogais, Juliette Collard-Hannay, Sophie Delettre, Estelle Denoël, Ginette Doyen, Arnaud Fagard, Yoann Frédéric, Hugo Hurdebise, Christian Leclercq, Frédéric Lorent, Jacqueline Maréchal-Rood, Vinciane Mathieu, Paul Mordan, Alexandra Philippe, Thierry Polis, Olivier Troquay