Theater
National Puppet Theater honored in Mostar: “The Circus Show” wins for best puppet articulation
The dialogue-free show by director Klajd Ymeri was recognized at the sixth International Puppetry Art Festival (FLUM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 21, 2026, 11:51 · Updated 12:25 · 2 min read
In brief
- The National Puppet Theater’s “The Circus Show” won the award for best puppet articulation at the FLUM festival in Mostar.
- The show, directed by Klajd Ymeri, relies solely on the puppets’ movement and gestures, without a single line of dialogue.
- The theater is preparing “The Lion King” for children, which director Melsi Qirici says will be the largest production in its history.
The National Puppet Theater, which represented Albania at the sixth International Puppetry Art Festival (FLUM) in Mostar, came home with an award. “The Circus Show,” directed by Klajd Ymeri, won the prize for best puppet articulation, ATSH (the Albanian Telegraphic Agency) reported Wednesday.
The show has no dialogue. The entire story is told through the movement, gestures and articulation of the puppets, a language that makes it understandable to audiences in any country. It is one of the theater’s premieres this year and is touring international festivals.
“Proud of every round of applause”
The theater’s director, Melsi Qirici, said she is proud of the artists and of every round of applause they have received while representing Albania. According to the theater, taking part in FLUM is also an opportunity to make Albanian puppetry better known on international stages.
Awaiting “The Lion King”
The award for puppet articulation carries special weight in this art, because it recognizes precisely the craft of the puppeteers: the ability to give life, character and emotion to a figure only through their hands, rhythm and precision of movement. For a show without words, this is also the essence of the storytelling.
Meanwhile, the company is preparing “The Lion King” for children. It will use anatomical puppets of various techniques, while the hall will be transformed into a safari with immersive projections. With 11 actors on stage, the theater calls it the largest production it has ever staged.
The news comes in a week when several performing arts institutions in Tirana have suspended performances because of the situation in the capital, while companies touring abroad continue to keep Albanian theater present at festivals in the region.
