Egypt's Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem announced that cultural activities will gradually start to reopenin the country. The reopening will start on 15 July, and will include theatres, museums, galleries, national circus, which operate under the culture ministry. In its first stage, the resumption of activities will be open at only 25 percent audience capacity across all venues The Ministry of Culture's electronic initiative “Stay at Home: Culture in Your Hands” presents the following theatrical shows online: The Minister of Culture launches the theatrical initiative, “Laugh, Think, Know” held within the framework of the E-initiative “Stay at Home: Culture in Your Hands” to be broadcast on the ministry's YouTube channel.The initiative rediscovers the international masterpieces with the participation of some Egyptian theatre icons including stage directors Galal Al Sharqawi, Samir Alasfoury, Sanaa Shafei, Essam Alsayed, Fahmy Alkhouly. The initiative aims at presenting ten recorded plays as a first stage photographed by Ayman Mustafa, the plays are inspired by the short stories of the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Eachplay is between 20 to 50 minutes. The shows contain an explanation of the principles of Chekhovand analysis of the significance of the plays in order to achieve the goal of the initiative. The programme of playsis as follows: Thurs 2, 9pm: Almaqam Alaaly (the high status) play is an adaptation ofAnton Chekhov's The Country House, directed by Islam Imam and presented by director Essam Alsayed. The Ministry of Culture website is at http://www.moc.gov.eg Its YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8McPibRT36QSjnt4eGucNw And its Facebook account is Egyptian MOC The National Theatre Facebook account is https://www.facebook.com/national.theater.eg/
*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly