Honoring Kuwaiti Director Sulaiman Al-Bassam at the Cairo Experimental Theatre Festival

The Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre honored Kuwaiti director and writer Sulaiman Al-Bassam during the opening ceremony of its 33rd edition at the Egyptian Opera House, in recognition of his career as one of the most prominent creators of contemporary Arab theatre on the international stage, and for his contributions to developing Arab theatrical discourse and opening up to global experiments, as well as his presence at international festivals and theatrical forums.

The opening ceremony also honored a number of theatre practitioners and researchers from Egypt, Arab countries, and foreign nations, including artist Hamza Al-Ayili, director Tariq Al-Duwairi, New Zealand director and choreographer Lemi Ponifasio, Lebanese director Lina Aaby, Iraqi artist Jawad Al-Shakerji, and Sudanese researcher Youssef Aidaibi.

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Al-Bassam is also participating in the current edition with a training workshop titled “From Text to Actor,” as part of the festival’s training program. The workshop includes 20 participants selected from 160 applicants from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia.

The workshop focuses on the relationship between writing and directing, and on transforming theatrical texts into live performances through actors’ performances and directorial vision.

The festival’s events will continue until September 8, featuring 14 productions from 12 countries in the official competition, alongside performances, workshops, and seminars discussing experimental theatre and its relationship with geography and cultural, social, and political contexts.