Egyptian Actor Yehia El-Fakharani Arrives in Tunis for the 26th Edition of the Carthage Theater Days
Egyptian actor Yehia El-Fakharani arrived in Tunis on Thursday morning to participate in the 26th edition of the Carthage Theater Days (JTC), which will take place from November 22 to 29. He was welcomed at Tunis-Carthage International Airport by the Egyptian Ambassador to Tunisia, Bassem Yahia Hassan, as well as by the organizers of the festival, led by theater personality Mounir Ergui.
Opening Ceremony of the JTC
The opening ceremony of the JTC, scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 pm at the Tunis Opera Theater, located in the City of Culture, will feature the play "King Lear," directed by Egyptian Shady Sorour and produced by the Egyptian National Theater. The play will be presented out of competition. At 80 years old, El-Fakharani is reprising the role of King Lear, now interpreting a monarch of his own age in one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, 20 years after his last stage performance.
The Play "King Lear"
The play, which has already been presented in Cairo and several Egyptian theaters, has met with great success. This return marks a new stage in the actor's career, a major figure in Arab theater and accustomed to dramatic and comedic registers. "King Lear," written by William Shakespeare between 1603 and 1606, tells the story of the self-destruction of a king who divides his kingdom among his daughters after inviting them to measure their love for him, triggering madness, betrayal, and disillusionment. Adapted from Shakespeare's text, the play explores themes of authority, family, and family tensions, issues that resonate strongly in contemporary Arab societies. Sorour's direction combines a psychological approach with contemporary scenography, highlighting the fragility of power and the human dimension of the tragedy.
The Carthage Theater Days
With this opening, the JTC reaffirm their ambition to make theater a space for reflection and dialogue at the heart of society. More than 80 shows from Tunisia, the Arab world, Africa, and around the world are featured in the official selection of the 26th edition of the JTC, under the slogan "Theater, a conscience and a change. Theater, the beating heart of the street." Created in 1983 by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the JTC are among the oldest theater festivals in the Arab world and Africa. They constitute a space for meeting, experimentation, and reflection for creators from the Arab, African, and Mediterranean scenes.
