Egyptian Actor Celebrates 200 Performances of 'King Lear'

Egyptian actor Yahya Al-Fakhrani celebrated his 200th performance of William Shakespeare's 'King Lear' at the National Theatre in Cairo. The 81-year-old actor has been performing the play since 2001, aligning his own age with the character's age in the play. The play, which tells the story of an aging king who divides his kingdom among his three daughters, has been performed in a series of shows starting from Thursday. The play was written by Shakespeare in the early 17th century.

Al-Fakhrani described the play as physically demanding but driven by love. The performances are part of a program by Egypt's Ministry of Culture to provide diverse theatrical experiences at affordable prices. Ticket prices for 'King Lear' range from 60 to 110 Egyptian pounds, approximately $1 to $2. This initiative aims to make theatre more accessible to a broader audience, especially given the economic challenges faced by many Egyptians due to currency devaluation and rising prices in recent years.

The performances have received positive feedback from the audience. A 34-year-old physics teacher, Farah Khair, described the experience as transporting her to another world. She also noted that this was the first time she had appreciated a theatrical work in classical Arabic. The cast includes several notable Egyptian actors, including Tarik Dasouki, Hassan Youssef, Ahmed Osman, Tamer El-Kashif, Amal Abdallah, Eman Rajai, Louqa Ali, Basma Dweidar, Tarik Sharif, Mohamed Al-Azaizi, and Adel Khalaf. The play is directed by Shadi Sarour, with the script translated into Arabic by Fatima Musa. The play is part of a broader cultural program that includes various performances in Cairo and Alexandria.