From Comedy to Tragedy: A Brief History of the Evolution of Theatre in Egypt
Although theatre, as an art form, is said to have been present during the time of the pharaohs, the theatre most of us are familiar with today didnt exist in Egypt until fairly recentlystarting in the late 18th century, to be precise.
Ancient Greece is known to have been the birthplace of modern theatre, with their tragedies, comedies and satires being both studied and performed to this very day. It is believed, however, that some form of theatre preceded this both in Greece and Ancient Egypt.
These Ancient Egyptian shows were quite different from the drama we are familiar with today however, and were most likely ritualistic and religious in nature, without a certain type pf structure or storyline to it. That being said, we will look more closely at the evolution of modern dramatic theatre in Egypt.
According to information provided through Egypts State Information Service (SIS), theatre first appeared in Egypt during the French campaign in 1789. Almost a century later, in 1869, Khedive Ismail established the French Comedy Theatre and the Opera House as part of celebrations he had prepared on the occasion of opening the Suez Canal.
During this time, theatre in Egypt was heavily influenced by European culture and therefore adopted the same format of drama. In that sense, theatre was introduced in its traditional European sense, with court-style theaters and long complex dramas being performed.
As stated in a 1935 article entitled The Arabic Theatre in Egypt, published by Cambridge University Press and written by Nevill Barbour, the establishment of theatre in Egypt, like many other Western innovations, was aided by the initiative of the Khedive Ismail. It was indeed Khedive Ismail who encouraged theatre to thrive in Egypteven the now world-renowned opera Aida by Verdi was actually commissioned by Khedive Ismail for the opening of the Suez Canal, butit was not completed in time.
As time passed, theatre evolved in Egypt and began to adopt more culturally-specific aspects, having had more and more plays written and performed in Arabic and tying in stories and contexts that reflect Egyptian society, as opposed to European social and cultural themes.
It wasnt until the year 1921, however, that Egypt finally established its first national theatre. Widely considered to be the art forms golden age in the country, the early 20th century was a pivotal period in time for the development of Egyptian theatre.
During the early 20th century, Egypt saw a multitude of sociopolitical changeshaving initially been under British rule and occupation, and then transitioning into a republic following the 1952 revolution.
As such, theatre in Egypt naturally saw a ton of experimentation during this time. Preceding this, the country had already established itself as an artistic hub, which saw many artists migrate to Egypt in search of creative and social freedom.
According to an American Theatre article by Joseph Fahim, there existed two main brands of theatre at the time, those being the comic theatre, represented by the companies of Naguib Al Rihani and Ali El Kassar, and the dramatic theatre, represented by the legendary company of Youssef Wahbi, which incorporated the biggest stage performers of the time.
As previously touched on, over timemost notably following the 1952 revolutionEgyptian Theatre evolved to include more culturally specific aspects. Classical texts were put aside and legendary Egyptian playwrights such as Tawfik Al Hakim, Youssef Idris, Alfred Farag and Noaman Ashour started to emerge onto the scene, producing wonderfully original and Egypt-centric pieces that are still highly regarded, celebrated and performed to this day.
Comic theatre also started to steal the spotlight away from dramatic, poetic or political theatre as more and more people veered towards comedic performances such as those of Fouad Al Mohandes. Comic theatre continued to rise in popularity, and by the 1960s and 70s, Egyptian audiences were regularly attending theatrical plays in order to enjoy a good laugh from the likes of Adel Imam and Mohammed Sobhi.
This was the time when timeless plays, such as Madraseit El Moshaghbeen (The School of Troublemakers, 1973) and Al Motazawegoon (The Married Couples, 1978), emerged, and they are still widely revered and loved by Egyptians today.
It wasnt until the 1980s that Egyptian theatre slowly started to lose its appeal and began deteriorating. This was due, in large part, to former Egyptian President Anwar Sadats open door economic policies, which were introduced in the 1970s. As the countrys sociopolitical climate started to change drastically and economic hardship affected more and more Egyptians, little thought or importance was given to theatreor the arts in general.
As such, barely any effort was put into the development of Egypts theatre scene following that time. However, theatreand Egypts arts and culture scene in the general sensehas been making a slight comeback after the 2011 revolution.
Theatre is very much alive and well in Egypt today, with more and more people trying to revive the scene. Although it may still not be as widely popular or as highly regardedespecially when compared to Egyptian cinema, for example, the importance of the art form has been more widely recognized in recent years.
Following the 2011 revolution, Egypt saw a surge of politically infused plays, bringing back to light this amazing platform of expression. Over the years, younger Egyptian generations have made efforts to experiment and re-introduce theatre under new perspectivesinfusing plays with poetry, dance, projection and experimenting with different styles of writing.
In addition to this, more and more festivals and events have popped up over the years that have managed to both attract local and international theatre-makers, bringing them together to offer Egyptian audiences a new theatre experience.
An example of one of these festivals is the annual Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), which first started taking place in 2012. This multidisciplinary festival is the ultimate hub for contemporary arts and artists alike, attracting art-lovers from all walks of life. When it comes to theatre, the festival always manages to introduce fresh local talent and offers a theatre experience quite different from that of the 1960s and 70s.
Current theatre-makers are making efforts to build Egypts theatre scene anew, somewhat demolishing this idea of a rather old-fashioned comic slapstick style theatre experience that Egyptian audiences once knew and loved. Rather, they are introducing an energetic and dynamic theatre experience that aims to make statements as opposed to merely entertain. Yes, entertainment is still a main aspect of it, yet Egypts theatre-makers of today also aim to give voice to that which may have been deemed unspeakable over the years; they aim to highlight the power, influence and beauty of the arts.
Here is the original post:
From Comedy to Tragedy: A Brief History of the Evolution of Theatre in Egypt - Egyptian Streets
- History of Evolution | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - December 9th, 2016 [December 9th, 2016]
- Evolution - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokmon encyclopedia - December 12th, 2016 [December 12th, 2016]
- What is Evolution - explanation and definitions - December 21st, 2016 [December 21st, 2016]
- Evolution (2001 film) - Wikipedia - January 28th, 2017 [January 28th, 2017]
- EvolutionM.net - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | Reviews, News ... - February 1st, 2017 [February 1st, 2017]
- YMCA evolution continues at lake - Gaston Gazette - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Ivanka Trump's Beauty Evolution, From 1998 to Today Watch - Us Weekly - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Lumpy, hairy, toe-like fossil could reveal the evolution of molluscs - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- How Evolution Alters Biological Invasions - ScienceBlog.com (blog) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Cultural evolution and the mutilation of women - The Economist - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Late-night hosts on the evolution of Trump: 'Dickish to dictatorish' - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Gold's Gym Regina rebrands to become Evolution Fitness - Regina Leader-Post - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Incremental Versus Radical Innovation: A Response to Josh Swamidass on Evolution and Cancer - Discovery Institute - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Blockchain: Investment (R)Evolution For Developing Markets - Forbes - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of the Famed Porsche 911 in 7 Photos - WIRED - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Exhibition charts 500 years of evolution of robots - Phys.Org - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- How evolution turned ordinary plants into ravenous meat-eaters - Wired.co.uk - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Are Evolution Fresh Drinks 'Poison'? - snopes.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Non-Chromosomal DNA Drives Tumor Evolution - The Scientist - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot evolution - Phys.Org - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- 'Goldilocks' genes that tell the tale of human evolution hold clues to variety of diseases - Science Daily - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Pac-Man is Coming to 'The Sandbox Evolution' Next Week - Touch Arcade - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot ... - Science Daily - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Bacteria sleep, then rapidly evolve, to survive antibiotic treatments - Phys.Org - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Orangutan squeaks reveal language evolution, says study - BBC ... - BBC News - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Evolution gives rhyme its reason - Aurora News Register - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Deeper origin of gill evolution suggests 'active lifestyle' link in early vertebrates - Science Daily - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- From Tara Palmer-Tomkinson to Cara Delevingne: the evolution of the It girl - The Guardian - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Banned TED Talk: Rupert Sheldrake The Science Delusion - Collective Evolution - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- VOTD: Watch the Evolution of Keanu Reeves' Acting Career - /FILM - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Eevee evolution: How to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon with new names - Eurogamer.net - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Horse evolution bucks evolutionary theory - Science News - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Samsung's Chromebook Pro highlights the category's continued evolution - TechCrunch - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Scientists solve fish evolution mystery - Phys.Org - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Wildfire evolution forces Forest Service into new thinking - The Daily Progress - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Raw Story - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- A primer on Darwin Day: Some religious groups embrace 'Theistic evolution' - LancasterOnline - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Apple: Evolution of in-car audio tech moving at 'speed of sound ... - Times of India - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Mariska Hargitay's Evolution from '80s Glam to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - TVOvermind - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Evolution of baseball from power to speed has left SBs behind ... - Chicago Sun-Times - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- More order with less judgment: An optimal theory of the evolution of cooperation - Science Daily - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- J. Albert C. Uy speaks on evolution, biodiversity in bellied flycatcher population - The College Reporter - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of Movie Magic With Every Oscar Winner for Visual Effects in History - Gizmodo - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Numerology: Here's What Your Name Says About You - Collective Evolution - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- The Evolution of Valentine's Day - Inside Science News Service - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Why evolution may be tech billionaires' biggest enemy - The Week Magazine - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Community Viewpoint: Evolution, like gravity, is much more than theory it is a fact - Kdminer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Phys.Org - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- How evolution alters biological invasions - Science Daily - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Cockeyed squid shines light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Eye Evolution: A Closer Look - Discovery Institute - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Evolution always wins: University of Idaho video game uses mutating aliens to teach science concepts - The Spokesman-Review - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Geneticists track the evolution of parenting - Phys.Org - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- How this cockeyed squid shines a light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- 4 Possible Roadmaps For macOS and iOS Evolution - The Mac Observer (blog) - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- The Evolution of the Energy Capital of the World - Texas Monthly - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Humons presents an atypical dance evolution - Detroit Metro Times - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Pokemon Go Adds 80 Generation 2 Pokemon, New Evolution Items This Week - IGN - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Fossil discovery rewrites understanding of reproductive evolution ... - Science Daily - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- 'X-Men: Evolution' Is the Gateway Drug of Comic Book Shows - Geek - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- A cultural catch: Evolution of wooden halibut hooks carved by native ... - Science Daily - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Bremerton's Fitness Evolution now Planet Fitness - Kitsap Sun (blog) - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Eye Evolution: The Waiting Is the Hardest Part - Discovery Institute - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Evolution Of The Yeezy: 2009-2017 - HotNewHipHop - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Prebiotic evolution: Hairpins help each other out - Science Daily - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- This 'Live Birth' Fossil Could Change Humanity's Understanding Of Evolution - Daily Caller - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Mysterious Ancient Stonehenge-Like Circles Found in Amazon Rainforest - Collective Evolution - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Poliwhirl Into Politoed - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Slowpoke Into Slowbro or Slowking - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go': How to Evolve Gloom Into Bellossom - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Dragon Scale - how to evolve Seadra into Kingdra and how to get the Dragon Scale - Eurogamer.net - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Eevee evolution: How to evolve Eevee into Umbreon, Espeon, Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon with new ... - Eurogamer.net - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- University of Pittsburgh guest speaker discloses evolution findings - UTA The Shorthorn - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- 'Pokemon Go' Special Items: Drop Rates for Evolution Items & Berries at Pokestops - Heavy.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- How Vedic Philosophy Influenced Nikola Tesla's Idea of 'Free Energy' - Collective Evolution - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Migration to America took long enough for evolution to happen on the way - Ars Technica - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- How To Choose Your Eevee Evolution In 'Pokmon GO:' Umbreon And Espeon Edition - Forbes - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Evolution Items - IGN - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Congo River fish evolution shaped by intense rapids: Genomic study ... - Science Daily - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go - How to evolve, use Special Items, when to evolve or Power Up your Pokmon - Eurogamer.net - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]