Egyptian Playwrights Stage Their Own Subtle, Personal Revolutions

As Egypt's revolutionary saga unfolds, a more silent, subtle revolution has been taking place, as two plays recently translated from Arabic into English are performed by American actors.

by Sarah Moawad

The fifth anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian revolutionary uprising is only a few days away, on January 25. It is anyone’s guess how events on that day (or afterwards) will unfold. A number of arrests and detentions of activists and Facebook page admins have already taken place in the lead up to the historic day, as well as crackdowns on art and cultural spaces. Clearly, authorities are concerned about what is to come.

But, there are also those who are taking the opportunity to fondly recall their participation in the 2011 revolution with the hashtag “I participated in the January revolution.” Participants have described “the powerful sense of community and collective agency they experienced” during the revolution, as Muftah’s Eman Elshaikh writes. These ordinary Egyptians are remembering the values upon which the revolution was built and the societal ills it was aimed at remedying, like corruption, police brutality, social injustice, and economic inequality. It is possible these individuals may demonstrate their commitment to the revolution’s spirit by taking to the street again next week.