In the Belly of the Whale: On the Fate of Migrants Amid Personal and Collective Tragedies

A co-production of the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc Rijeka and the National Theatre of Tunisia

Created as part of the DECONFINING project, “In the Belly of the Whale” is a Croatian–Tunisian theatre co-production by the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka, and the National Theatre of Tunisia, written and directed by Tunisian director Marwa Manai.

The production premiered at the National Theatre of Tunisia in Tunis on 24 January 2025, followed by two additional performances on 25 and 26 January. Its European premiere took place at the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka on 3 March 2025, with a further performance on 4 March.

Following its premieres in Tunisia and Croatia, the production embarked on an international journey, reaching audiences in Lithuania, Tunisia and Slovenia through guest performances and international theatre festivals.

From Rijeka and Tunis to International Stages: The Journey of In the Belly of the Whale

DECONFINING | International Touring and Festival Presentations

Exploring migration, borders, displacement and the search for belonging, the production brought together artists from both sides of the Mediterranean and developed into an international theatrical journey across Europe and Africa.

 
Premiere performances

 
24, 25 and 26 January 2025 — Tunis, Tunisia

The production premiered at the National Theatre of Tunisia on 24 January 2025, followed by two additional performances on 25 and 26 January.

 
3 and 4 March 2025 — Rijeka, Croatia

The European premiere took place at the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc in Rijeka on 3 March 2025, followed by a second performance on 4 March.

 
International tour and festival appearances

 
8 October 2025 — Kaunas, Lithuania

The production was presented at the National Kaunas Drama Theatre, bringing the Croatian–Tunisian co-production to Lithuanian audiences.

 
26 November 2025 — Tunis, Tunisia

The performance was presented at the 26th edition of the Journées Théâtrales de Carthage (Carthage Theatre Days), one of the region’s major international theatre festivals.

 
2 April 2026 — Tunis, Tunisia

The production returned to the Tunisian stage as part of the World of Theatres Festival, at Le 4ème Art.

 
18 June 2026 — Nova Gorica, Slovenia

The production continued its international journey with a guest performance at the Slovenian National Theatre Nova Gorica.

 
These international presentations extended the production’s reach beyond its original premieres, introducing the Croatian–Tunisian artistic collaboration to new audiences and theatre professionals.

The festival appearances in Tunisia were particularly valuable, bringing the production into dialogue with the wider international theatre community and reinforcing the cultural connections established through the DECONFINING project.

Through its journey from the Mediterranean to stages across Europe and Africa, In the Belly of the Whale demonstrated how shared artistic creation can connect cultural institutions, artists and audiences beyond national borders.

About the play

Written and directed by Marwa Manai, the play unites artists from Tunisia and Croatia in a profound reflection on migration, identity, and belonging. Developed from short stories by authors Iva Papić, Dorotea Šušak, Samia El Amami, and Mouna Ben Haj Zekri, the play examines overcoming limits, freedom and migration through deeply personal narratives.

Directed by Marwa Manai from Tunisia, the performance was created in collaboration with dramaturge Maja Ležaić, costume designer Sandra Dekanić and set designer Alan Vukelić from Rijeka.

The cast brought together Croatian and Tunisian actors: Serena Ferraiuolo, Mario Jovev, Edi Ćelić, Sonia Zarg Ayouna, Nadia Belhaj, Thaweb Idoudi, Allem Barakat and Anis Kammoun, exploring themes of displacement and human connection.

According to Dubravka Vrgoč, General Manager of the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc Rijeka: “The performance reflects the signs of our tragic time — one in which we fail to understand each other and to establish cultural dialogue.”

The production received widespread acclaim. Critics praised the production as “a cry for shared humanity and a call to overcome both physical and mental borders.”

“Yesterday, today, and tomorrow are united by eternity. Throughout history, humankind has striven to overcome barriers — digging tunnels, building bridges, constructing ships and airplanes. Humanity even freed itself from Earth’s gravity to venture into space. Yet one barrier still remains, fragile and invisible, hanging by a thread.”