New Theatre Vistas by Judy L. Oliva

Author:Judy L. Oliva
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 1996-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

There are no indications that control over the theatre and other arts will be lessened; in fact, all indicators point to an ever tightening stranglehold on artistic endeavors. The Islamicists, through terrorist actions aimed at the fragile Egyptian economy, possess the ability to affect governmental actions and personal attitudes. The constant threat from the religious right to the secular government cannot be ignored. There are forces at work in Egypt which will not be satisfied until a theocratic form of government, similar to that found in Iran, has been installed in Cairo.

So, what is the future of the theatre scene in Egypt? Does it have a future? I believe the answer might be yes if viewed in light of the performance of Sketches From Life, as performed by the Caravan Theatre Company under the direction of Effat Yehia. The production reflects the dedication, the artistry, and the energy of the Free Theatre Movement. The subject of Caravan’s production was the serious question surrounding the lack of human rights for women in an Islamic society. The strengths of this group are its talented young actors and the skills of its young director. Effat’s abilities, perhaps due in no small part to the fact that she is one of the few women directors currently producing theatre in Egypt, have brought her offers of work within the public sector. She chooses to remain with Caravan inside the Free Theatre Movement, a movement which holds forth the greatest prospects for her continued development as a theatre artist.

Another positive sign indicating a future of health for the Egyptian theatre is the success of Lenin el Ramly’s In Plain Arabic, a production which has proven that a play can reach a wide and enthusiastic audience without a star on the marquee. El Ramly and his director, Mohammed Sobhi, selected a cast of novices, none of whom had appeared in a professional production. The result of such casting was a high energy, fast-paced satirical romp which delighted audiences while hurling barb after barb at contemporary Arab societies. El Ramly has been approached by a production organization to have his work performed in Jordan, with the indication that the image of Jordan as presented on the stage in Cairo must be changed. El Ramly rejected the invitation refusing to make the suggested changes in his text. So yes, there might be hope.

Even with censorship impacting negatively on the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, I firmly believe that the annual event along with the Free Theatre Movement is essential to Egypt’s continued theatrical development. During my first trip to Cairo, I attended a lengthy lecture presented by Egyptian scholar Sherif Katir. The topic was the future of the Egyptian National Theatre and what shape it is to take if it continues to emerge. Katir indicated that the theatre must rely on the rituals of the Pharonic past, a theatre founded on Egyptian language, its ancient ritual, and its folklore. The lecture was followed by a question and answer session where two sides were clearly drawn.

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