Obituary: A man for all seasons Abdel-Moneim Madbouli (1922-2006) In Trees Die Standing Tall, Spanish playwright Alejandro Casona crystallised the essence of grandeur. By the same token stars, too, die standing tall, proud of the artistic legacy they leave behind and of their perseverance in working and giving until the very end of their lives. Abdel-Moneim Madbouli, who died last week, was the master of contemporary popular comedy. By far the longest part of his life was spent on theatre stages, in front of radio microphones or before television and cinema cameras. Madbouli was born in 1922 in the Cairene district of Bab Al-Sha'riya, and from an early age displayed an interest in the performing arts. At the age of seven he was already reciting comic monologues that he had heard broadcast on the radio. While studying at an industrial training school he joined the acting troupe, and subsequently obtained a diploma in applied arts, having specialised in sculpture. Though he was appointed as a lecturer, his devotion to acting was such that he joined the Institute of Acting, graduating in 1949. During his time as a student at the Institute he had already joined two theatrical troupes -- George Abyad's, and then Fatma Rushdi's. In the late 1940s he began to write radio serials and children's programmes, often participating in the latter. A year after graduating, he joined Zaki Tolaimat's Modern Egyptian Theatre in 1950. The first of Madbouli's big breaks came in 1952 when he helped found the Free Theatre Troupe alongside other Higher Institute for Theatrical Arts graduates, including Tawfiq El-Diqin, Saad Ardash, Salah Mansour, Ibrahim Sokar, Zakariya Soliman and Ali El-Ghandour. Madbouli acted in most of the troupe's performances and also directed a number of plays, among them Al-Ard Al-Tha'ira (The Land in Revolt), Al-Rida Al-Sami (Sublime Contentment), Khaif Atgawiz (Afraid to Get Married) and Mirati Nimra Hidashar (My 11th Wife). Among the most important plays he acted in are Al-Nas Elli Taht (The People Downstairs), Al-Maghnatees (The Magnet), Zuqaq Al-Midaq (Midaq Alley) and Bayn Al-Qasrain (Palace Walk). Madbouli's association with the radio programme Sa'a li Qalbak (An Hour for Your Heart) was one of the highpoints of his career. He teamed up with several young comedians in the radio performances, some of which he prepared and wrote. Together with Fouad El-Mohandis, Khairiya Ahmed, Amin El-Heneidi, Mohamed Ahmed El-Masri (who played Abu Lam'a), Fouad Ratib (who played Khawaga Bijou), Mohamed Farahat (Dr Shidid) and Mohamed Youssef (Shakal), he was instrumental in creating the popular programme which in turn led to the formation of the theatrical troupe Sa'a li Qalbak, established in the late 1950s with the participation of Mohamed Douara, Youssef Ouf and Samir Khafagha. The years between 1962 and 1966 represent one of the most productive periods of Madbouli's career. He adapted plays for television, wrote others, and directed, most notably productions of Gulfadan Hanem, Ana wa Huwa wa Hiya (I, He and She), Asl wa Sura (Original and Copy), Lokandet Al-Fardous (Fardous Hotel) and Al-'Abit (The Idiot). Madbouli employed techniques drawn from farce, popular comedy and improvisation in these productions, and though he acted in most of the plays, he often cast other comic stars -- Fouad El-Mohandis, Mohamed Awad, Amin El-Heneidi, Abu Bakr Ezzat and Hassan Mustafa -- in the leading roles. He also acted in plays directed by others, including Nimra Itnein Yeksab (Number Two is the Winner) and Aristophanes' Frogs. In 1966 Madbouli joined the United Artists' Troupe, as both actor and director, appearing in, among other plays, Al-Pyjama Al-Hamra (The Red Pyjamas), Al-Zawg Al-Ashir (The 10th Husband), Hello Shalabi, Al-Eyal Al-Tayebin (The Kind Kids) and Madraset Al-Moshaghebeen (Hooligans' School). He was to return to the same troupe in the early '80s with the celebrated Raya wa Sekina (Raya and Sakina). In the 1970s Madbouli directed several plays for the Amin El-Heneidi Troupe, among them Agmal Liqa' fil-Alam (The Most Beautiful Encounter in the World) and Sab' walla Dabe' (Winner or Loser). At the end of the same decade he joined the Rihani Troupe, and was cast in leading roles in Awlad Ali Bamba (Ali Bamba's Sons) and Al-Malak Al-Azraq (The Blue Angel). Throughout the 1980s and '90s he starred in several private sector theatrical productions, including Tesbah 'Ala Kheir Ya Habet Eini (Sleep Tight, Darling; directed by Samir Abdel-Azim, 1987) and Bahebak Ya Mogrem (I Love You, Scoundrel; directed by Galal El-Sharqawi, 1989), as well as directing Nashent Ya Naseh (Good Shot, Smart Guy) in 1995. It was in 1975 that Madbouli, in collaboration with a producer, succeeded in founding his own company, named the Madboulism Troupe -- after the moniker critics had given him, which really referred to his occasional tendency towards repetition. During the next five years he directed several comedies with the company, including Ragel Mafish Minuh (A Man Apart), Homar Ma Shalsh Hagah (A Beast Carrying no Burdens) and Mawloud fil-Waqt Al-Daye' (Born in Extra Time). Among the actors playing lead roles were Soheir El-Morshedi, Badr El-Din Gamgoum, Salama Elias, Thoraya Helmi, Osama Abbas, Sana Younis, Mahmoud Masoud, Fouad Ahmed, Afaf Rashad, Nahed Rushdi and Fouad Khalil. Madbouli returned to state-sponsored theatre in 1995, when he played leading roles in Al-Ganzeer (The Chain, Modern Theatre Troupe, directed by Galal El-Sharqawi), Al-Sanyoura wal-Thalath Waraqat (The Lady and the Three Cards, directed by Abdel-Rahman El-Shafei for the Music and Folk Dance Theatre, in 1998), Raqsat Salome Al-Akhira (Salome's Last Dance, at the National Theatre in 1999), Wasat Al-Balad (Downtown, at the Modern Theatre in 2002). In 2006 he participated in the National Children's Theatre production Amir Al-Khayal (Prince of Dreams). His involvement in cinema began in 1958, with the film Ayami Al-Sa'ida (My Happy Days, 1958). Until 1966, however, he appeared only sporadically on the big screen, acting in Hayganenouni (They're Driving Me Crazy, 1960), Iqtilni min Fadlak (Kill Me, Please, 1965) and Gharam fi Aghustus (Love in August, 1966). Between 1967 and 1974 he was, on average, in three films a year, including Shantet Hamza (Hamza's Bag), Gharam fil-Karnak (Love in Karnak) and Shaqet Al-Talaba (Students' Apartment), most of them light comedies that generally failed to harness his abilities on stage. There were exceptions, among them Moulid ya Donya (All the World's a Carnival, 1975) and Al-Hafeed (The Grandson, 1974). In all, he appeared in some 60 films, and 50 television programmes and serials, the most important among the latter being Fawazeer Giddo Abdou (Grandfather Abdou's Riddles), the serials Baba Abdou, Ayam Al-Marah (Fun Days), Ahlan Giddo Al-Aziz (Hello, Dear Grandpa), Bayt Rod Al-Farag (The Rod Al-Farag House), Al-Zawag Ala Tariqati (Marriage My Style) and Abna'i Al-A'iza Shukran (My Dear Children, Thank You), among others. Yet, whatever the nature of the roles he played, light comedy or tragedy, on radio, television or film, as director, leading man or support, he gave always of his best, consistently, and for decades, furnishing a model for several generations across all the specialisations of the performing arts. By Amr Douara
