The conference was attended by the King Lear cast and crew, including the celebrated star Yehia El-Fakharany; actors Tarek El-Desouky, Hassan Youssef, Mohamed El-Ezayzi, Eman Ragaa, Amal Abdallah, Ahmed El-Nasser, Islam Abbas, Diaa Shafik, Hamdy Attia; and the theatre’s director, Ayman El-Shewy.
"When I first performed King Lear in 2001, it was difficult because I had to play an old man and physically bend over — my back hurt terribly every day. But now, at 80, I actually am an old man, so I don’t need to exert any effort — just to feel the character," El-Fakharany commented with his hallmark sense of humour while unveiling the details of the upcoming production marking his return to the National Theatre stage.
El-Fakharany first performed King Lear on the National Theatre stage in 2001. The play featured Egypt's renowned actors, including Sawsan Badr, Salwa Mohamed Ali, Rania Farid Shawky, and Ahmed Fouad Selim, among others.
During the conference, El-Fakharany also paid tribute to his late colleagues who had previously taken part in the production: Farouk El-Fishawy (1952–2019) and Ashraf Abdel Ghafour (1942–2023).
“I miss Ashraf Abdel Ghafour deeply. You couldn’t find a single flaw in the man — he truly loved the theatre and was incredibly disciplined. I also miss the great actor El-Fishawy. Both Abdel-Ghafour and El-Fishawy left a strong mark on the production," he recalled.
He also fondly remembered the late, legendary actress Samiha Ayoub (1932–2025), saying: "When King Lear was first staged, Samiha Ayoub was the director of the National Theatre. She produced the play and fully supported it. I worked with her – she was a remarkable person. True artists don’t need to speak about themselves; their work speaks for them. No one can question her body of work. As a theatre director, she was a woman worth a hundred men – firm in her decisions and always followed through."
Egypt's National Theatre
The actor also highlighted his deep love and emotional connection to the National Theatre.
El-Fakharany recalled the 2008 fire that caused considerable damage to the theatre, leading to its closure for renovations until late 2014.
“When the National Theatre burned, I was deeply saddened. I couldn’t even go near the area for an entire month — that’s how emotionally attached I am to it.”
“The National Theatre has a distinctive scent in its wooden stage — it carries the essence of art itself, having hosted some of the greatest classical productions,” he added.
El-Fakharany recalled his early days on stage, sharing that his first performance was in Al-Bahlawan (The Clown), a play by Egyptian playwright Yusuf Idris, which was staged in 1988.
He extended his gratitude to the late actor Mahmoud Yassin (1941–2020), one of the icons of the National Theatre, who encouraged him to take the stage at such a prestigious venue. He also thanked theatre director Hoda Wasfi and former culture minister Farouk Hosny for their support during that period.
New King Lear
Directed by Shady Sorour, the Shakespearean masterpiece now returns to the stage of the National Theatre.
During the press conference, the director said: "I am grateful to the National Theatre administration for choosing me to direct this production. It was a long-held dream of mine to stand before the great Yehia El-Fakharany—let alone direct a play starring him. I can’t put into words how happy I am to be presenting this work with a star of his caliber."
Although King Lear is a role El-Fakharany has performed multiple times, the director affirmed that the actor remained open to new creative directions and did not interfere with his artistic vision for the play.
“From the very first day of rehearsals, he was fully open to embracing the new direction — even though he had already performed the play twice before on stage,” Sorour stated.
"What’s remarkable is that he always arrives before the scheduled rehearsal time. He has a deep love for the theatre, for the role he’s playing, and for art as a whole."
King Lear is scheduled to premiere on 8 July, with performances every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
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