The opening ceremony of the 23rd Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre took place at the Cairo Opera House on 20 September, and included the opening performance Thunderstorm, from China.
During the ceremony, the festival's president Sameh Mahran, and Minister of Culture, Helmy Namnam honoured the renowned guests of the festival: Gamil Rateb from Egypt, Torange Yeghiazarian from Iran/USA, Mumbi Kaigwa from Kenya, Femi Osofisan from Nigeria, Mohamed Saif Al Afkham from the UAE and Lu Ang from China.
A total of 29 plays will be staged during the 10-day festival.
The plays are by the troupes from Egypt, other Arab countries – Tunisia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq – as well as from Chile, Sweden, Armenia, the US, Russia, Moldova, Rwanda and Poland. The festival will run between 20 and 30 September.
The workshops will be conducted by the Egyptian and international experts from countries such as Chile, the United States, Pakistan, and India, among others.
(Photos: Bassam Al Zoghby)