The 26th Edition of the Carthage Theater Days Kicks Off
The 26th edition of the Carthage Theater Days began on Saturday, November 22. Two plays marked the opening: "Rêve(s)... comédie noire" by Fadhel Jaibi and Jalila Baccar at the Ciné-Théâtre Le Rio, and "Le Roi Lear," a work by the Egyptian National Theater signed by Shady Srour, starring the star Yehia El Fakharany. Both performances were sold out, once again demonstrating the Tunisians' passion for the fourth art.
A Timeless Masterpiece: "Le Roi Lear"
The play "Le Roi Lear" was performed at the Opera Theater of Tunis, attracting a large audience who came to discover one of the most famous tragedies, written in 1606 by William Shakespeare. This timeless masterpiece, based on the legendary British king of medieval chronicles, explores the themes of family ties, betrayal, and power. It is studied and staged in theaters around the world, remaining relevant across the centuries and highlighting the universality of Shakespearean themes that continue to inspire countless plays, films, literary works, and research.
The performance of "Le Roi Lear" in literary Arabic lasted three hours with a 30-minute intermission. It featured a dozen main characters and as many secondary ones, with numerous extras and dancers. It captivated the audience with the power of its actors, its aesthetic richness blending baroque and contemporary elements, as well as with a meticulously orchestrated and striking staging.
A Summary of the Play
In summary, King Lear, played by Yehia El Fakharany, decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on the love they show him. The two eldest, Goneril and Regan, motivated by greed and a thirst for power, flatter him insincerely. Cordelia, the youngest, refuses to participate in this hypocritical demonstration and replies that she loves him simply as a daughter should love her father. Lear, blinded by pride, disowns and disinherits her. Another plot develops in parallel: the Earl of Gloucester and his two sons, Edgar and Edmund, are also drawn into a whirlwind of betrayals and moral dilemmas.
A Captivating Performance
From the opening curtain, the gaze is lost in the striking beauty of the set design. The play opens with a ball scene in a luxurious palace. The multi-level set design proved ingenious, creating realistic spaces thanks to the decoration and projections that brought the background to life. From majestic castles testifying to opulent wealth to the poor's dwellings and even the prison, visual games were created, making each change of space an immersive universe for the actions to come. The costumes of the dukes and knights, the sumptuous silk or velvet dresses, as well as the jewelry and furs, recreated an elegant baroque universe, contrasting with the appearance of the king, later stripped and wandering in the storm.
"Le Roi Lear" features a gallery of complex and intriguing characters. The audience was deeply touched by the entrance of Yehia El Fakharany, who embodies the famous monarch. Spontaneous applause and emotional smiles translated the feeling of rediscovering a familiar, almost intimate face, as he has marked generations with his emblematic roles in cinema and television, accompanying the audience's daily life through his characters.
At 80 years old, his difficulty in walking is noticeable. Nevertheless, the quality of his interpretation of a king in full decline leaves no one indifferent. From his haughty attitudes to the scenes of his descent into hell, Yehia El Fakharany conveys intense emotional tension. He glides with disconcerting ease from extreme gravity to lyricism, even through crudeness, while maintaining the touch of irony that usually characterizes his roles.
A Note of Humor
Despite the dark tone, the play, which aims to be a violent and profound family drama, contains a note of humor through certain situations, sarcastic lines, and the presence of the clown character. The other actors also delivered a realistic performance in this intrigue full of actions and crimes: sword fights, confrontations... Everything was mastered with a high level, despite some pronunciation mistakes in literary Arabic. The music that punctuated the moments of high dramatic intensity maintained constant tension, effectively supporting the rhythm and evolution of the actions.
A New Breath for a Classic
The re-examination of the Shakespearean classic and its highlighting by this contemporary creation gave a new breath to the work. With a remarkable level of grandeur and dramatic force, it raised the bar of expectations for the audience regarding the other plays in the JTC program. Note that another Iranian version of "King Lear" will also be presented in the "Theater of the World" section.
A Tribute to Tunisian Culture
During the consecration, after the performance of "King Lear," Yehia El Fakharany addressed the audience: "Who says Tunisia says culture," he launched, evoking the memory of the first trophy he received outside of Egypt. It was in Tunisia, in 1984, during the Carthage Film Days, over 40 years ago... The emotion of the reunion between the actor and his audience was therefore shared.
The Carthage Theater Days continue until November 29 with a selection of Tunisian and international plays, inviting spectators to travel to the heart of varied theatrical cultures and universes. Information on the program and booking modalities is available online and at the ticket offices of the Tunis City of Culture.
