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 Rehlat Al-Zaman Al-Gamil (A Journey to the Good Time), a child play about some children who travel to the Pharaonic era written by Yehia Zakaria, puppets and costumes by Nagui Shaker, décor by Mohamed Saad and directed by Mohamed Nour (Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 7pm). Cairo Festival City Al-Tagamouaa Al-Khamis, New Cairo The Marquee Happy New Year Bel Araby (Happy New Year in Arabic) is a musical comedy suitable for all ages and all family members. A group of friends get together to celebrate the New year, during the party and while they are enjoying the music and exchanging gifts, the lights turn off and back on again only for them to find a mysterious box in the middle of the palace. They all question what could be inside this box that appeared out of nowhere. The comedy casts comedians Bayoumi Fouad, Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, Shaimaa Seif, Karim Afifi, Mohamed Anwar, Dana Alhalaby and Samia Altarabolsy (29 January, 9pm). The Floating Theatre Abdel-Aziz Al-Saoud St, in front of Salaheddin Mosque, Al Manial, Tel 02 2368 4047, 012 8531 1358/ 0100 5233623 Main Theatre Aalet Alfaare (the family of the unlucky guy) play is produced by the Comedy Theatre Company. It casts Mohamed Alsawy, Fatema Alkashef, Nehad Said, Ahmed Shams and many more. Décor by Mohamed Hashem, lighting by Ezz Helmy, music composed by Ahmed Alnasser. It is written by Ahmed Almalwany and directed by Mohamed Metwali (Performances run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8.30pm). Small Theatre Afrah Alqoba, play produced by the Youth Theatre Company is based on Naguib Mahfouz novel bearing the same name. It casts Abdel-Moneim Riyad, Mohamed Tamer, 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 Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm). Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Theatre Next to Balloon Theatre, Al-Agouza, Tel 02 3304 3187 Gana Hena play is produced by Al-Ghad Theatre. It casts Abeer Altokhy, Hala Sorour, Ahmed Alsherif, lyrics written by Masa'oud Shoman, music by Ahmed Alnasser, décor and costumes designed by Maye Zohdy, written by Safaa Albialy and directed by Mohamed Saber (Performances run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7pm). Grand Nile Tower Corniche Al-Nil, Garden City, Tel 16826 Sabaheya Mubaraka, is a new type of plays with two acts representing a different form of comedy starring Ali Rabeia, Os Os, Seliman Eid and directed by Ashraf Abdel-Baqi (22 January, 8pm). Metropol (The Children's National) Theatre 6 Halim St, the beginning of 26th July, Attaba, Downtown, Tel 02 2593 3334 Zahret Al-Lotus (The Lotus Flower), a play for children about the disappearance of the Lotus flower, then Princess Lotus, the king's daughter, started searching for it. It casts Sayyed Ragab, Inas Nour, Hamdy Alaraby, written by Tarek Moursi and directed by Mohamed Haggag (Performances run on Thursday and Friday, 7pm). Al-Qawmi (The National) Theatre Al Attaba Square, in front of Attab Post Office, Cairo, Tel, 02 25917783 Alwasia (The Commandment), a play based on the true story of the martyr Mohamed Moaataz Rashad, one of the armed forces soldiers who passed away in Rafah in 2015. The play casts Ahmed Fouad Selim, Samira Abdel-Aziz, Mido Adel, Bassant Syam with music composed by Ahmed Kikar, and choreography by Magdy Saber. The play is written by Ayman Salama, and directed by Khaled Galal (Performances run on Thursday and Saturday, 8pm). Al-Salam Theatre 101 Qasr Al-Aini St, Tel 02 2795 2484/2794 3016/010 21521501 Aby Taht Alshagara (My Father is Under the Tree) play is the latest production of the Modern Theatre Company. It is starring Hany Kamal, Lobna Alsheikh, Mounir Karam, Shady Asaad and many more with music by Mohamed Khaled, décor by Yehia Sobeih, written by Tarek Ramadan and directed by Islam Imam (Performances run on Thursday and Saturday, 7pm). Taliaa Theatre Attaba Square, Tel 02 2593 7948 Zaki Tolaimat Hall Recycle, an improvisation show tackles the idea of the possibility of recycling the expired man to restore humanity through a group of sketches about social issues like marriage, education, and sexual harassment. Its directed by Mohamed El-Sagheir with Ahmed Raouf's music, Monadel Antar's choreography and Abeer El-Badrawy's styling (Performances run on Thursdays, Friday and Sundays, 7pm).
*A version of this article appears in print in the 21 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
