Kaveh and Fatima Ayreek at Figurfestspillene 2026
On 1 February 2026, Kaveh Ayreek’s play 'Fødsel i Nullpunktet' (Birth at Ground Zero), performed by Fatima Ayreek, Pia, Emilie Nome, Azadeh Javanmard, Elizabeth Vannebo, and Jan Holden, will be staged during Figurfestspillene in Tønsberg, one of Norway’s leading puppet‑theatre festivals.
'Fødsel i Nullpunktet' centres on Homaira, a woman expecting a child in war‑torn Kabul. Based on a true story, the play examines the moral dilemmas of war and its grotesque consequences for the most vulnerable in Afghan society, particularly women and children.
Ahead of the performance, Fatima and Kaveh took part in the artist talk 'Philosophical Corner: The Idea of Human Development as an Artistic Project'. The event was held on the afternoon of Friday, 30 January at Tønsberg and Færder Library.
Figurfestspillene is a biennial puppet‑theatre festival organised by UNIMA Norway, the Norwegian branch of the international UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette). In 2026, the festival runs from 24 January to 1 February.
Kaveh & Fatima Ayreek
Kaveh Ayreek is an award‑winning Afghan actor, theatre director, and writer who received his arts education in Iran. Since beginning his career in 2003, he has explored themes such as human rights, gender equality, and fundamentalism, often using mime and shadow puppetry at the core of his artistic expression.
Fatima Ayreek is an Afghan puppet maker, puppeteer, and theatre artist, born in Iran. Together, Fatima and Kaveh founded the Theatre Group, one of Afghanistan’s most innovative and active theatre companies.
Because of the topics they address in their work and its stark impact in Afghanistan, the couple faced threats, persecution, and attacks. Just days before the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, they fled Afghanistan. They arrived in Bergen in December 2021, where Kaveh Ayreek was the ICORN resident until 2023. Fatima and Kaveh continue their artistic work in Norway.
