On 17th October, the curtain will rise on the XXI Cadiz Iberamerican Theatre Festival. The city will once again throb with colour, fantasy and talent. A total of 45 performances divided into 28 programmes will delight the audiences as usual at the Gran Teatro Falla, the Sala Central Lechera, the Candelaria arts centre and La Bomba workshop, apart from the street theatre, where 6 of the shows will be put on as the FIT does not want to overlook its street theatre origins. The performances will alternate between the stages of the city’s main theatres and art centres, and the magnificent scenario of the streets in the old part of the city.

Until 28th October, 28 theatre companies from 10 different countries will delight local residents and visitors alike. Apart from Spain, the companies come from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. The Spanish companies include Els Joglars from Catalonia which will perform “En un lugar de Manhatan", an interesting approach to the use and abuse of the figure of Don Quixote when the book has just commemorated its fourth centenary.

Chile and Argentina will take centre stage in this year's festival, as part of an initiative to spotlight two Latin American countries at each FIT between now and 2012, when the city will celebrate the Cadiz Constitution, known affectionately as "La Pepa". With this date in mind and with the goal of the festival showcasing the second centenary of La Pepa each year, the 2006 FIT will last for 12 days.

The plays to be performed during the theatre festival will range from the most classical Romanticism to the latest avant-garde works. The programme will also include a wide variety of styles, such as puppets, music, contemporary dance, folklore, etc.

The organisation has divided the performances into four sections:

Some shows unveil a new conception of dramatic arts, where the artistic field intermix and the emphasis is on new tools of expression and mixing disciplines, such as dance, singing or puppets.

The second section focuses on performance featuring women, either as the subject matter or because their creative involvement. The X Conference of Iberamerican Women in the Dramatic Arts will be held in Cadiz to coincide with the FIT.

The third section will honour the Festival’s slogan, “Theatre in Freedom”, where the emphasis will be on street theatre. A total of six groups will perform their works in the city streets, where the interaction with the audience is guaranteed.

Finally, the FIT 2006 will also feature avant-garde aesthetics that are the basis of contemporary drama.