For more than ten years, the Qasr Al-Nil theater sank into oblivion. This theatre, which once hosted concerts by Oum Kalsoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez, Warda, as well as plays by comedians Samir Ghanem, Chérihane and Mohamad Sobhi, among others, had been almost abandoned since the Revolution of January 25, 2011.
Today, it is reborn from its ashes by welcoming a new musical entitled Wala fil Al-Ahlam (not even in dreams), directed by Hani Afifi, written and set to music by producer Ibrahim Maurice. The two creators are collaborating for the second time, after the success of their first musical piece Leila in 2017. « After Leila, I started writing Wala fil Al-Ahlam. The lyrical text was ready in 2019, but the project was postponed due to the pandemic. Director Hani Afifi and I get on well, that’s why I wanted to work with him again », highlights Ibrahim Maurice, composer and producer, who founded his own theater group in 2016, namely the Egyptian Musical Theater. « In order to present my lyrical texts and my musical performances, I needed producers ready to venture into this rather expensive field. It was hard to find one; therefore, I decided to launch my theatrical training by providing it with an institutional framework to be able to put on my shows. I do not seek to accumulate commercial profits, but essentially to offer different shows to the public and other forms of music “, he specifies.
The play is set in the 1960s and tells the story of the two brothers Safargel and Bargel. The first is a traditional civil servant in search of happiness and the second an alchemist who tries to produce a magic potion allowing people to have good dreams. Thus, we wake up happy, aspiring to a day full of hope! Safargel drinks his brother’s magic potion. During sleep, he dreams of his sweetheart Gamila, his neighbor to whom he never manages to speak. The dream continues and the situations become more and more intriguing.
The choice of the time frame of the work is well justified by director Hani Afifi, explaining: ” It’s been a pretty romantic decade. It is rich in its fashion, its architecture, the cultural environment. The language of communication had even something more refined. In short, it was characterized by a certain elegance. Going back to this time gives rise to visually more beautiful scenes ».
Ideal love is a chimera! (Photo: Bassam Al-Zoghby)
The costumes designed by Marwa Auda restore this refined atmosphere: very feminine dresses of all colors, classic jackets… During the dream, when the lovers meet, the clothes become more colorful and the colors garish. The sets and lighting by Mohamad Al-Gharbawi and Yasser Chaalan recreate the architecture of the city center of the time.
The background is composed of a screen on which paintings are projected on both sides of the boards. ” Projection screen facilitates quick transition between scenes “says Afifi. In fact, this trick is subtly used. Sometimes the painting projects us into a long street, part of the urban scene of yesteryear. Sometimes she places us between the walls of a living room with high ceilings, in a garden full of greenery, etc.
The lighting accentuates the colors green, lilac and yellow, when the events take place in the garden, or turns out to be rather neutral in the house of the two brothers, brighter in the street…
A game of paradoxes
From the first scenes, humor is introduced through a game of paradoxes. First through the contrasts between the two brothers: Safargel, a civil servant in classic costume, and Bargel, with curly hair, wearing a white dress with comic designs. Paradoxes are also common in dream scenes, showing in turn the beautiful Gamila with her suitor, then with others, revealing her vulgar and cruel face.
The dreams continue: Safargel marries his neighbor Zahra there, to whom he pays no attention in reality. Unfortunately, after the wedding, she is completely exhausted with household chores and raising children. Their married life is quickly consumed by routine, enough to trigger laughter. The couple, always in conflict, rarely makes peace. He complains about the high cost of living: a pair of pigeons costs 40 piastres! It’s the end of the world ! The director alludes to the current economic crisis with a lot of sarcasm. The comparison is essential with the 1960s.
The actors are professional singers, whose voices bewitch the audience. Mohamad Abdou of the troupe Black Theama, Zahra Rami, Mona Hala and several others have already proven themselves in the field of singing. Ibrahim Maurice adopts theatrical rock. He mixes it with oriental music, while using percussion instruments to give the rhythm to the piece. Added to this is the classical Arabic singing style, prolonging the last syllables. This musical mix spawns some pretty familiar tunes.
Everyone sings and dances. Sally Ahmed’s choreography succeeds in reflecting collective dances, evoking the stories of couples, the relations between the hero’s neighbors, the depression of one of the two main characters. Using simple movements, the actors express themselves by singing or dancing.
Safargel’s dream turns into a nightmare. Even while sleeping, he can’t reach happiness, hence the title Not even in dreams. The neighbors try to comfort him, advise him never to seek absolute happiness. In life, there are always ups and downs.
Wala fil Al-Ahlam, Until March 19, every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Qasr Al-Nil Theater. 6A, Qasr Al-Nil Street, downtown.
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