The 27th Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatrewill run from 1 to 11 September online and in theaters: Cairo Opera House's Small and Open-Air theatres, Al-Gumhouriya Theatre, with an opening ceremony that took place at the National Theatre on 1 September.The coming round of the festival honors the name of late Egyptian actor, director and academic at the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts Sanaa Shafaa, who passed away on 11 August 2020. Follow the festival on the following platforms: www.cifet.org, www.instagram.com/cifet.festivaland https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-sNuUtjXYxWORGD8FW0HTw The cultural activities have started gradually to reopen in the country.The reopening has included theatres, museums, galleries, national circus, which operate under the culture ministry. In its first stage, the resumption of activities opens at only 25 percent audience capacity across all venues. The ministry applies all precautionary and preventive measures with daily sterilization of the theatres in order to ensure the safety of the public, artists and workers.
The Cairo Puppet Theatre Next to the Al-Attaba Metro Station, Tel 02 2591 0954 Farkash Lama yakash, children play written and directed by poetShawky Hegab (Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 7.30pm).
The Floating Theatre Abdel-Aziz Al-Saoud St, in front of Salaheddin Mosque, Al Manial, Tel 02 2368 4047, 012 8531 1358/ 0100 5233623 Small Theatre Afrah Alqoba, play produced by the Youth Theatre Company is based on Naguib Mahfouz novel bearing the same name. It casts Mohamed Youssef, Samar Allam, Fatema Adel, Mena Nabil and many more. Décor and lighting by Amr Al-Ashraf, costumes designed by Abeer Badrawi, movement designs by Monadel Antar. It is written and directed by Mohamed Youssef Almansour (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm).
Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Theatre Next to Balloon Theatre, Al-Agouza, Tel 02 3304 3187 The Accident, a comic play about a young man who kidnapped a girl and locked her at his house trying to force her to love him back. It casts Mido Abdel-Qader, Shaimaa Abdel-Nasser, costumes by Ahmed Farag, décor by Mohamed Fathi, written by Lenin Al-Ramly and directed by Amr Hassan (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm).
Grand Nile Tower Corniche Al-Nil, Garden City, Tel 16826 Sabaheya Mubaraka, is anew type of plays with two acts representing a different form of comedy starring Ali Rabeia, Os Os, Seliman Eidand directed byAshraf Abdel-Baqi (3, 4, 5 September, 9pm).
Al-Hanager Arts Centre Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 6861 Otrouk Anfy Min Fadlak(Please Leave My Nose),play produced by Al-Hanager Centrecasts Hanan Adel, Salah Aldaly, Tamer Alkashef, Mohamed Khaled, Hussein Gomaa, décor and lighting by AmrAbdallah, costumes by Marwa Aouda, co-directed by Mohamed Atefand directed by Eslam Emam(Performances run daily except Mondays, 7pm). Al-Hanager Centre Outer Square Ahwal Shakhsiya(Personal Affairs) play is produced by The Youth Theatre. The play tells female stories through actresses who explain their sufferings that caused them to become statues. It casts Lamiaa Gaafar, Nada Afifi, décor and costumes by Ahmed Aslaman, lighting by Ezz Helmy and directed byAshraf Hosny (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8.30pm). Al-Leila Alkebira(The Big Night) puppet theatre show, written by the late Salah Jahin, music composed by the late Sayed Mekkawi, décor by Mustafa Kamel, puppets by the late Nagui Shaker and directed by the late Salah Al-Sakka (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7.30pm).
The International Park Madinet Nasr District Hakawi Arayas Alqofaz (Tales of the Gloved Puppets), a play performed by Al-Shams (The Sun) Theatre Company for those with special abilities starring Heba Asaad, Ahmed Mohamed and directed by Rahma Mahgoub (Performances run on Sundays, 5pm).
Malak Opera Theatre 9 A Khalig Al-Khour St, Azbekiya district, Ramses, Tel 0122 3417152 Albakheel(The Miser), a play based on Molière's outstanding modern classic The Miser. It casts Ashraf Tolba, Mahmoud Metwali, Suzanne Medhat, Noran Abdel-Hamid and many more. Décor by Rania Al-Dakhakhny, costumes designed by Nardeen Emad, shows choreographed by Sherly Ahmed, and directed by Khaled Hassouna (Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 7pm).
Metropol (The Children's National) Theatre 6 Halim St, the beginning of 26th July, Attaba, Downtown, Tel 02 2593 3334 Hawadeet Al-Aragouz (The Clown's Tale), a play for children (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm).
Movenpick Hotel Media City, 6 October City, Cairo Aladdin,A musical comedy show starring Ahmed Ezz, Tara Emad, directed by Magdy El-Hawaryand written by a group of young Egyptians writers with an Egyptian comedy twist. The show is based on the story of Aladdin, a folk tale of Middle Eastern origin. It is one of the tales in the book of One Thousand Nights and One NightAKA (The Arabian Nights), and one of the best known internationally. The show fits all ages and is a one that all the family can enjoy together. It includes comedy, dance, music and impressive high-tech video technologies and fly effects (3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 September, 8.30pm).
Al-Qawmi (The National) Theatre Al Attaba Square, in front of Attab Post Office, Cairo, Tel, 02 25917783 The Optimist, a play revolves around the story of a person who overcomes obstacles and social illnesses to reach his goal through the merit of optimism. It casts Sameh Hussein, Sahar Al-Saygh, AhmedSiyam, Ayat Magdy. The play is an adaptation of Candide Voltaire's The Optimist, directed by Islam Imam (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm)
Taliaa Theatre Attaba Square, Tel 02 2593 7948 Salah Abdel-Sabour Hall Kaanak Tarah (As If You See Him), a play casts Mohamed Younis, Sameh Fekri, Maher Mahmoudamong others, together with a group of religious chanters, writtenby Nesma Samir and directed by Maher Mahmoud (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm). Zaki Tolaimat Hall Hareem Alnar (Women of Fire), a play produced by Taliaa Theatre Company. It's an adaptation of Spanish dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba. The play is about the life of women in Upper Egypt telling the story of a mother and her daughters. It casts Aida Fahmy, Manal Zaki, Abeer Lotfy, Nashwa Ismail among others with décor by Mohamed Saad, costumes designed by Shaimaa Mahmoud and music composed by Mohamed Hosny. It's written by Shazli Farah and directed by Mohamed Mekki. (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7.30pm).
ALEXANDRIA Beram Al-Tunsi Theatre Al-Gaish St, Al Azaritah, Qesm Bab Sharqi, Alexandria, Tel (03)5929960/5913835 Rehla Saida(Bon voyage) play starring Mohamed Farouk, Ehab Gaber, Radwa Hassan, Adel Said and many more, costumes and décor designed by Walid Gaber, music composed by Mohamed Shehata, choreography by Samir Nasry, written by Mohamed Alsawaf and directed by Mohamed Moursi (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm).
*A version of this article appears in print in the 3 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
