The 12th Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF)
(17 October-10 November)
The Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), the largest international contemporary arts festival in the Arab region, is celebrating its 12th edition this year. Presented by 124 artists from 21 countries, the festival will present 26 diverse performances, including performing arts, new media arts, music, and special events. It will feature contemporary art performances, discussions, and visual art exhibitions characterized by creative ideas, technological innovation, and interactive experiences with the audience. Additionally, there will be nine workshops covering various fields. This year's festival will also include the "Cairo Calling" programme, hosting 13 directors and choreographers from the Arab region and Arab expatriates. Moreover, a training programme supported by the MBC Academy in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Wasla for Arts, will offer training for 10 emerging cultural managers in festival management.
Falaki Theatre
AUC Tahrir Campus, 24 Falaki St, Downtown, Cairo, Tel 012 88721446
Transit Tripoli play is directed and adapted by theatre director, actor and
choreographer Caroline Hatem, acted by Josef Akiki, music and live performance by Rabih Gebeile, and video by Walid Abdelnour, dramaturgy by Bassel Shalgheen, scenography by Velica Panduru, technical direction by James Chehab, with light design by Erich Schneider, costume design by Nour Domloje. Hatem freely adapts Anna Seghers’ novel TRANSIT to the present Syrian and Lebanese context
of displacement and emigration. Mirroring the situation in France in 1940, the play is set in Lebanon, where everyone is impatiently waiting for visas or for occasions to flee. The narrator becomes a Syrian emigrant the audience follows in Tripoli’s streets and cafés. With one actor on stage, live music and a video to summon the city by the sea, Transit Tripoli pays tribute to Seghers’ unique and lively voice, and its
appeal to one’s inner space and freedom, ballads and gaze, while subjected to the implacability of history (3 and 4 November, 8pm).
French Cultural Institute
Madrasset Al-Huquq Al Frinseya St, Mounira, Tel 02 2791 5800
On Cherche L'Amour play (Egypt/Syria in Arabic and French) is directed by Nanda Mohamed and performed by Nanda Mohamed and Mohamed Sami, light design by Saber El-Sayed, stage manager and technical director Mram Abdel-Maqsoud, and music by Mohamed Sami.
A couple stands at a crossroads, where time has dimmed the once-vibrant glow of their love. They choose to embark on a journey of rediscovery, delving into a sensory and auditory exploration that unearths the depths and nuances of love. Through the power of the human voice
and music, they express their emotions fearlessly–drawing
strength from the realms of theatre, voice, and music (5 November, 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 (31 October- 5 November, weekdays from 5-10pm and weekends from 2-10pm).
Rawabet Art Space
5 Hussien El-Meaamar St. ext. of Mahmoud Bassiouny St, from Talaat Harb Square, Downtown
Created and performed by Viktória Makra, Dávid Remsey, Emőke Dénes, and Márton Nagy, The Book of Neptune (Hungary) is a spectacular puppet theatre form based on music and movements, performed with lit-up sculptures of fishes, allowing marine life to
come alive on stage. Similar to a reverse shadow play, the fishes “swim in a sea”. People’s familiarity with marine life imagery allows them to imagine a dynamic and dreamy landscape. They imagine flying away
and create an ocean-tale of their own. There will be a talk with the artists following the first night of the performance (1and 2 November, 7pm).
The Warehouse
5 Hussein Basha Al Meamari, Maarouf, Qasr El Nile
Of All The People In All The World play by internationally acclaimed Stan’s Cafe theatre company directed by James Yarker. Directed by James Yarker, performed by James Yarker, Craig Stephens, Islam Fouad, Mai Abdel-Latif, and Mohamed Anwar. Of All The People In All The World uses grains of rice to powerfully bring abstract statistics to life. Throughout the performance, a team on stage carefully weighs out quantities of rice to symbolize various human statistics, arranging them into labelled piles that form a dynamic and evolving landscape. With each grain of rice representing an individual, audience members are invited to reflect on how the single grain that represents them, compares to the millions that do not. The statistics and their juxtapositions are moving, shocking, celebratory, witty and thought provoking (6 to 10 November, weekdays 5pm-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm, free entrance).
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).
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 (7 and 8 November, 9pm).
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 31 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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