Cairo Experimental Theatre... Celebrates Sulaiman Al-Bassam
The Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, in its 33rd edition, is honoring Kuwaiti writer and director Sulaiman Al-Bassam, who is conducting a workshop titled “From Text to Actor.” This initiative aligns with the festival’s commitment to providing training opportunities that integrate theory and practice, opening new horizons for theatre practitioners.
The festival, under the presidency of Dr. Samah Mehran, announced the opening of applications for Al-Bassam’s workshop, “From Text to Actor.” Al-Bassam is considered one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Arab theatre. The festival aims to offer training opportunities that bridge intellectual inquiry and practical application, thereby expanding prospects for those engaged in the theatrical arts.
The three-day workshop focuses on the relationship between writing and directing as a unified creative act in the production of a theatrical performance. Drawing on Al-Bassam’s extensive experience in reinterpreting classical texts and presenting them within contemporary contexts, the sessions explore how a text transitions from the page to the stage, transforming into a living language embodied through imagery, rhythm, and actor performance.
The workshop also covers several practical topics, including text analysis, theatrical reconstruction, actor direction techniques, the creation of collective rhythm, and the development of tools to adapt classical texts into contemporary productions capable of engaging audiences from diverse cultural and background contexts.
Additionally, the workshop highlights a key feature of Al-Bassam’s artistic practice: working with actors from different nationalities, cultures, and languages. It examines how this diversity is transformed into a creative asset that contributes to building a shared theatrical vision, endowing the production with aesthetic energy that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries.
Combining practical lectures with hands-on exercises, the workshop allows participants to closely engage with the creative methodology that characterizes Al-Bassam’s work. Attendees will benefit from his expertise in blending writing and directing to transform text into a cohesive performative act.
The workshop targets professional writers, directors, and actors, as well as anyone seeking to enhance their skills in playwriting and directing. Participation is limited to 15 trainees to ensure a high level of interaction and direct engagement during the training sessions.
Al-Bassam founded the theatre company “Sabab” and has presented works that have gained widespread recognition at major international festivals and theatres. He is renowned for reimagining classical texts through a contemporary lens that blends heritage with pressing modern questions, establishing himself as one of the most significant voices in Arab theatre on the global stage.
