CAIRO - It is said that both politics and arts judge the world, and can alter it, while every political period in history imposes its own style on the arts. But, since the launching of a revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak, arts haven't played the same strong role as politics. That may be because the uncertainty and instability in Egypt have paved the way for rapid political change, while the arts need time to be developed. Arts, especially theatre, have played an important role since 1919 and a countrywide revolution against the British occupation of Egypt and Sudan, carried out by Egyptians and Sudanese from different walks of life, in the wake of the British-ordered exile of revolutionary leader Saad Zaghloul and other members of the Wafd Party. As a result of these historical changes, many theatrical troupes were founded, with artists using theatre to deliver their message. They knew that art doesn't create a revolution, but it can certainly fuel it. Youssef Bek Wahbi's troupe was one of the famous groups established at that time. Wahbi, a great Egyptian theatre actor in the 1930s and 1940s, lured many of the best actors and actresses of the time, like Fatma Roushdi, Aziz Eid, Ali el-Kassar and Amina Rezq, in his troupe. After some time, another successful troupe was created by Egyptian comedian Naguib el-Rehani, who was known as the Charlie Chaplin of the East. There was another revolution in July 1952, when a military coup d'état by the Free Officers Movement, a group of army officers led by Mohamed Naguib and Gamal Abdel-Nasser, overthrew King Farouq. In the light of that revolution, many playwrights shone. They supported socialism and searched for freedom and social justice, the same demands as in last January's revolution. These writers included Alfred Farag (1929-2005) and Saad Eddin Wahba (1927-1997), whose plays featured the political corruption of Egypt and its effect on the poor. This period also paved the way for talented directors like Karam Meatwe' and Saad Ardash, who also highlighted the pains of their country. It was they who ensured that the 1960s were the golden days of Egyptian theatre. Today, nearly a year since the January 25 revolution, it is still too early for us to judge new theatrical performances. But we can notice that the Arab Spring has revived the genre of theatrical storytelling, as most plays nowadays about the Arab revolutions are mainly presented as stories. Although many new works have appeared this year, not just in theatre but in other artistic fields too, it's been a stagnant period. The things happening in the country are influencing the arts and most artists can't help but document these events. In theatre, there have been plays like the Tahrir Monologues, which tackles the 18 days of the revolution; Tazkara lel Tahrir (A ticket for Tahrir), which also documents the revolution; Solitaire, a monodrama about Tahrir Square; Hanekteb Destour Gedeed (We Will Write a new Constitution); and others, all documenting the Egyptian revolution. There have also been a few attempts by some directors to introduce international theatrical pieces like Gamal Yakout's The Salem Witches, an adaptation of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and Islam Emam's El-Safina wel-Wehsheen (The Ship and the bad People), based on Isabella, Three Tall Ships, and a Con Man written by Dario Fo. There have been others too, all imbued indirectly with the spirit of the revolution. The Egyptian revolution has also been documented in the fine arts and plastic arts. Most of this year's photographic exhibitions have captured moments in Tahrir Square, while most painters have included a few paintings about the revolution in their exhibitions. Cinema, regrettably, has declined since the revolt, something many movies predicted from about 1990 onwards. In El-Nom fel-Asal (1996), directed by Sherif Arafa and whose title may be translated as ‘Sleeping in Honey', meaning not caring about anything, apathy prevails nationwide and men lose their sexual appetite. In the closing scene of the movie, veteran actor Adel Emam leads all the infected people (almost the whole country) to the People's Assembly, where they say "Ah," in order to express their pain. This is a hidden message, telling the people to claim their rights. Another movie that predicted the revolution was Hena Maisara (2007), which tackles the lives of the poor people, who live in slums and who will one day explode. The movie was directed by Khaled Youssef. As for the disappointing movies since the revolution, they include Share'e el-Haram (El-Haram Street). This blockbuster is obscene and also exceedingly dull. Tik Tak Bom, a very naïve story about the revolution, is equally dull. It revolves around a young man, who, unfortunately, gets married on the night the revolution erupts, which means he is unable to consummate his marriage in his flat in Tahrir Square. The Egyptians tweeted many tweets criticising the people, who paid for Share'e el-Haram - the same people who chose the Islamists and the Brotherhood in the parliamentary elections. During the revolution, people enjoyed sharing their information and opinions on Facebook or Twitter. But many writers and bloggers are still being threatened and don't enjoy freedom of speech. One famous activist and blogger is Alaa Abdel Fatah, who was summoned for criticising the Army's actions on October 9. When he refused to answer questions put by a military prosecutor, he was detained on charges of stealing military weapons and inciting violence. His case is becoming a cause célèbre. His mother, an academic, has gone on hunger strike until her son is released. "Egypt is paying a heavy price for a revolution that was grassroots - communal and leaderless. The positive, happy feeling of January and February has dissipated, replaced by tension and anxiety; you can't go back into the box. “The atmosphere feels like it did in January. Everyone is aware of what is possible. Everyone knows what things are being done by the military. This is the endgame," says his aunt, the Booker-nominated novelist Ahdaf Souief.
