The Culture 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) children play is about some children who travel to the Pharaonic era. It's written by Yehia Zakaria, with puppets and costumes by Nagui Shaker, décor designed by Mohamed Saad and directed by Mohamed Nour (Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 6.30pm).
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 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. It's directed by Mohamed El-Sagheir with Ahmed Raouf's music, Monadel Antar's choreography and Abeer El-Badrawy's styling (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 7pm).
French Cultural Institute Madrasset Al-Huquq Al Frinseya St, Mounira, Tel 02 2791 5800 Dalida, a theatrical performance with dramaturge by Ahmed Ghandour, written by Ons Alnily and directed by Islam Abdel-Gawad (8 July, 7pm).
Grand Tiba Theatre Tiba Mall, Nasr City, for tickets call 16826 Abo El Araby fi Mohema Rasmia (Abo El Araby in a mission impossible), a comedy about the making of Abo El Araby and his transformation into a new character as an expert in nuclear energy. The play is starring Hani Ramzy, Dalia Al-Beheiry, Ahmed Fathy, Mohamed Gomaa, Haggag Abdel-Azim and Laila Ezz Al-Arab, written by Mohsen Rizk and directed by Tamer Karam (9 July, 8.30pm).
Al-Salam Theatre 101 Qasr Al-Aini St, Tel 02 2795 2484/2794 3016/010 21521501 Almohareg Alaagouz (the old clown) play casts Ahmed Aldessouki, Mery Magdy, Ayman Hassan with tableaus from the drawings of Al-Shams Theatre Company for talents with special abilities. It's written by Mohamed Nassef and directed by Youssef Abu-Zeid (Performances run on Sundays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 6pm).
El Sahel Theatre Time Marina Hotel, North Coast Gareema Fel Maadi, Masraheya Kolaha Ghalat (A Crime in Maadi, The Play that Goes Wrong), a play performed by a group of budding actors trained by comedian Ashraf Abdel-Baky, who is also the director. The Play That Goes Wrong is an English play that won the highest awards in British and American theatres including the Lawrence Oliver and Tony Awards in 2015 and 2017 respectively. It is also considered to be one of the best onstage comedies since its creation in 2014. Abdel-Baky flew to The Mischief Theatre Company in London, acquired the performing rights to the play, and translated it into Egyptian Arabic. The Egyptian version is now showing under the title, Gareema Fel Maadi, Masraheya Kolaha Ghalat with two separate casts. Abdel-Baky, together with the group of actors have personally renovated the theatre recently and was able to restore its essence and former glory (8,9,10 July, 10pm).
Metropol (The Children's National) Theatre 6 Halim St, the beginning of 26th July, Attaba, Downtown, Tel 02 2593 3334 Al Qatat (The Cats), a play for children casts Merna Walid, Sayed Ragab, Mahmoud Hassan written by Safwat Zeinhom and directed by Safwat Sobhy (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 7pm).
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, Ahmed Siyam, Ayat Magdy. The play is an adaptation of Candide Voltaire's The Optimist, and directed by Islam Imam (Performances run daily except Wednesdays, 6pm).
Taliaa Theatre Attaba Square, Tel 02 2593 7948 Zaki Tolaimat Hall Alsandouq (The Box), a play produced by Taliaa Theatre Company. In an absurd comical style, the play revolves around a group of people in a crisis, all locked in one unidentified place and they don't know each other but have one dream which is to get out of this place. The play is an adaptation of Taha Sadat's story Dreams of Dolls. It features actors Yasser Altobgy, Nasser Shahin, Taha Khalifa, Amira Abdel-Rahman, décor and costumes designed by Fady Foukiya, with music composed by Hassan Zaki and directed by Reda Hassanein (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 7pm).
ALEXANDRIA
Lycee El Horreya Theatre Qism Bab Sharqi, Alexandria, Tel 03 5913794 Qa'a (bottom), a play on the idea of the human existence and the life journey on earth with all struggles it causes for man and his existence. The show is the graduation project of Nogoum Almostaqbal Theatre Company workshop, written by Mahmoud Mohsen, and directed by Mohamed Moursi (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 7pm).
*A version of this article appears in print in the 8 July, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
