The 12th Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF)
(17 October-10 November)
Rawabet Art Space
5 Hussien El-Meaamar St. ext. of Mahmoud Bassiouny St, from Talaat Harb Square, Downtown
Insectum K. movement theatre performance is directed by Czech director Jan Komárek, design and sound by Jan Komárek, created and performed by Honza Malík, with costume cooperation by Mariana Novotná.
A half naked body and its groping way across the table top, illuminated by a single light bulb, surrounded by an unknown universe that speaks to us with the urgency of a Francis Bacon painting about man’s fundamental position in the world. Inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel the metamorphosis, Insectum K. explores the fragility, transience and unpredictability of existence (20 October, 8pm).
Kodak Corner Shop
Downtown, Cairo
Table Top Shakespeare video theatre is performed by Robin Arthur, Nicki Hobday, Jerry Killick, Richard Lowdon, Cathy Naden and Terry O’Connor, directed by Tim Etchells, with text by Robin Arthur, Tim Etchells, Jerry Killick, Richard Lowdon, Claire Marshall, Cathy Naden and Terry O’Connor, sound design by Richard Lowdon , light
design by Jim Harrison, produced by Jim Harrison, Eileen
Evans and Forced Entertainment, co-produced by Berliner
Festspiele and Theater festival, with Arabic subtitles translation
by Rana Elbowety. Forced Entertainment performers condense every existing
Shakespeare play into a series of intimate and lovingly-made
miniatures, played out on a one metre table-top using a
collection of un-extraordinary everyday objects. Forced
Entertainment have long had an obsession with virtual or
described performance, exploring the possibilities of conjuring
extraordinary scenes, images and narratives using language
alone (17 October- 5 November, weekdays from 5-10pm and weekends from 2-10pm).
The Cairo Puppet Theatre
Next to the Al-Attaba Metro Station, Tel 02 2591 0954
Zat and the Red Dress children play is written Walid Kamal and directed by Nadia El-Shweikh
(Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 8pm).
Falaki Theatre
AUC Tahrir Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown, Cairo, Tel 012 88721446
Sahebna (our friend) play is about a wealthy group of five friends reunite at a fancy summer home in the North Coast in Egypt (El-Sahel), their gathering takes an unexpected turn when they suddenly find out through social media that their sixth absent friend, Taymour, is getting married on the very same day - without inviting any of them. As they are forced to confront long-buried conflicts, secrets, insecurities, and feelings, the group realizes their own roles in the exclusion of their absent friend in the first place, unraveling a web of unresolved emotions, secrets, elitism and hypocrisy among their once tight-knit circle (17, 18, 19, 20 October, 8pm).
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
Maraya Electra (Electra's Mirrors) play is produced by The Youth Theatre, written by Metwali Hamed and directed by Ayman Mustafa
(Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 10pm).
Small Theatre
Alsemsemiya play is performed by a group of the theatre budding actors, music composed by Haitham Darwish, decor and costumes designed by Samah Nabil, written and directed by Said Soliman,
(Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 9pm).
Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Theatre
Next to Balloon Theatre, Al-Agouza, Tel 02 3304 3187
Alnoqta Alamia (The Blind Spot) play, directed by Ahmed Fouad, is based on a text by the famous Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt, and produced by the Al-Ghad Theatre company, led by the artist Sameh Megahed, and under the supervision of director Khaled Galal. It casts
The Blind Spot starring Nour Mahmoud, and it is his first theatrical experience, and it casts Ahmed Al-Salakawi, Ahmed Othman, Hossam Fayyad, Heidi Barakat, and Omar Salah El-Din. The events of the play revolve around a malfunction in the car of Adam, played by Nour Mahmoud, during a severe storm, forcing him to take refuge in the nearest house, to find inside it three law professors playing a strange game called the court, and the elements of the game are completed in his presence. He finds himself involved in the grip of the court trying to find a way to get out of this game (Performances run daily, 8.30pm).
Grand Nile Tower
Corniche Al-Nil, Garden City, Tel 16826
Mimo play starring comedian Ahmed Helmy, Asmaa Galal, Hamdy El-Merghany, Rahma Farrag, written by Diaa Mohamed and directed by Hisham Atwa (17 and 18 October, 9pm).
Al-Hanager Arts Centre
Cairo Opera Complex, Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Zamalek, Tel
Tel 02 2735 6861
Gen Z We Tes3eeny Ya Gedo, events of the play take place over a coffee shop that brings together three different generations. They sit and discuss the problems of each generation, and the events of the show illustrate the difference between the three generations and the impact of technology
(18 October, 8.30pm).
The International Park
Madinet Nasr District
Candy Crush children play is performed by Al-Shams (The Sun) Theatre Company for those with special abilities written by Said Haggag and directed by Mohamed Metwaly (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm).
Malak Opera Theatre
9 A Khalig Al-Khour St, Azbekiya district, Ramses, Tel 0122 3417152
Qabl Alkhoroug (before the exit) play starring Sherehan Qotb, Mohamed Abdel-Wahab, Lamiaa Gaafar, is written by Mohamed Zenaty, directed by Hany El-Sayed, with music composed by Mohamed Qabil, decor and costumes designed by Mohamed Hashem
(Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm).
Miami Theatre
Talaat Harb St, next to Miami Cinema, Downtown, Tel 02 2574 5651
Ala'yal Fahmet (the children understood) play is an adaptation of Sound of the Music musical, produced by the Comedy Theatre and directed by Shady Sorour
(Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 9pm).
Metropol (The Children’s National) Theatre
6 Halim St, the beginning of 26th July, Attaba, Downtown, Tel 02 2593 3334
Alhelm Halawa (The Dream is Halawa) play for children is written by Yasser Aboul-Anein, and directed by Maye Mohab
(Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 7.30pm).
Al-Qawmi (The National) Theatre
Al Attaba Square, in front of Attab Post Office, Cairo, Tel, 02 25917783
Mish Romeo wa Juliet (Not Romeo and Juliet) play is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet casting singer Ali El-Haggar, actress Rania Farid Shawqi, poetry by poet Amin Haddad, and directed by Essam El-Sayyed
(Performances run daily except Wednesdays, 9pm).
Al-Salam Theatre
101 Qasr Al-Aini St, Tel 02 2795 2484/2794 3016/010 21521501
Youm Assem Gedan play is produced by the Comedy Theatre Company starring Mustafa Mansour, Haidy Refaat, Sherehan El-Shazli, and many more. Décor by Mohamed Fathy, lightening by Ezz Helmy, written by Ayman El-Nemr and directed by Amr Hassaan (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9pm).
Aageeb wa Aageeba musical theatrical performance is produced by the Modern Theatre Company starring Sayyed El-Roumy, Doaa Ramadan, Ihab Bakir, Reda Tolba, and many more. Décor by Sarah Shoukry, lightening by Abu-Bakr El-Sherif, costumes designed by Samah Nabil, music composed by Mahmoud Wahid, choreography by Ahmed Samir, written by Said Haggag and directed by Mohamed El-Soghair (Performances run daily except Tuesdays, 9.30pm).
Youssef Idrees Hall
Casino play starring Kareem El-Husseiny, Nawal Samir, Shady Asaad, Mohamed Diab, Nesma Adel is produced by the Modern Theatre Company. Décor by Mohamed Abdel-Hamid, lightening by Ezz Helmy, costumes designed by Maha Abdel-Rahman, music composed by Hazem El-Kafrawy, choreography by Hassan Shehata, written by Ayman El-Nemr and directed by Amr Hassaan
(Performances run daily except Tuesdays, 9pm).
Khetat Cupid (cupid’s plan) play casts actors Abdel-Moneim Riyad, Kareem El-Hosseiny, Nawal Samir, and many more. Décor by Ahmed Amin, lighting by Abu Bakr El-Sherif, music by Tamer Abdel-Meguid, written by Abdallah El-Shaaer, and directed by Ahmed Fouad (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm).
Taliaa Theatre
Attaba Square, Tel 02 2593 7948
Salah Abdel-Sabour Hall
Laabet Alnahaya (Endgame) is an absurdist, tragicomic one-act play by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, produced by Taliaa Theatre.
Starring Mahmoud Zaki and Lamiaa Gaafar, décor by Ahmed Gamal, costumes designed by Maha Abdel-Rahman, prepared and directed by Alsaid Qabil (Performances run daily except Tuesdays, 9.30pm).
Zaki Tolaimat Hall
Opera Alataba (Alataba Opera) play is casting Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, Doaa Hamza, décor by Omar Ghayat, costumes designed by Maye Kamal, written and directed by Hany Afifi (Performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 7pm).
ALEXANDRIA
Lycee El Horreya Theatre
Qism Bab Sharqi, Alexandria, Tel 03 5913794
Hazem Hassem Gedan (Hazem is very strict) play is written by Walid Youssef and directed by Mohamed Moursi
(Performances run on Thursdays and Fridays, 8pm).
An Adventure in the Mythical City children play is produced by Alexandria Theatre Company, written by Ayman Feteha and directed by Monica Joseph
(Performances run on Saturdays and Sundays, 8pm).
* A version of this article appears in print in the 17 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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