Meetphool is a platform where people can “showcase their work, share professional expertise and build collaborations” according to the website's introductory brochure. For many, it will serve as a hub of information about live events taking place in Egypt and throughout the Mediterranean basin. “The idea began two, maybe three years ago,” says Nada Sabet, speaking in front of the audience and performers at Darb 1718 on Tuesday night. “I talked about it to a couple of people and they encouraged me to continue. I just wanted to create a space, a resource for performance artists and here we are at the first phase of ‘Meetphool' - the launch of the website.” And “Meetphool” (in Arabic, a gathering of 100 beans) is just that, a “performance hub,” as is written in the logo, where “phools” or fools can meet. And the 100 little beans, or fools, have become around 500 - 500 performers, directors, stage hands, students, live performance enthusiasts and anyone else involved in performing arts - even audience members. Co-funded by the Environment and Development group (EDG) and the European Union Cultural Commission in Cairo, Sabet and her meetphool.net team have traveled from Edinburgh to Amman and from Brussels to Damascus, soliciting advice and support from people involved in performing arts. She chose to focus on the Mediterranean basin because the meetphool.net hub needed a focus, but eventually she would like it to be a resource for performing artists around the world. The performances are live, and the site's categories are circus, music, dance and theater. Her aim is to create a space for both highlighting a performer's talents and promoting collaboration between artists, technical experts, promoters, organizers and anyone else gathering for a project. The launch event was certainly a festival of performance art. Meetphool.net organized a dance piece on glass above the audience from the second floor, then invited the audience to the roof, where Tunisian rapper, R2M (Mahdi) performed. Ahmed Abdel Naim's puppet Folan danced along to the beat in a sudden improvisation. The finale brought together brothers Luke and Ramsi Lehner, with Ramsi spinning electronic music while Luke spun fire. Even His Excellency the Minister Counselor Head of the Social Corporation Section of the EU Commission in Cairo, Antonio Crea, sang opera for the audience. The whole night was ushered by clowns who drummed their way down the stairs to summon the group for speeches in the garden. Computers were available for people to sign up at meetphool.net and the entire night had a strong collaborative feel. “This will only work if you all use it,” said Sabet in her short but sweet speech. “It's a platform for you and if you all add in your expertise and projects, meetphool will thrive and you can all use them - if you don't, it will die.”
