Arab theater and most famous plays

The beginning of the Arab theater

• The beginning of the theatrical art in the Arab world dates back to the nineteenth century by “Maroun Al-Naqqash”.
• Maroun Al-Naqqash was a Lebanese merchant, when he returned from Europe, he translated a play by Moliere, and called it Al-Bakhil (The Miser).
• He presented this play at his home in 1848, due to his success, the Ottoman authorities allowed him to build a real theater, subsequently, he produced other works; he directed the play Abu al-Hasan al-Mughfal wa Harun al-Rashid (Abu al-Hasan the Fool and Harun al-Rashid), which was inspired by the book “A Thousand and One Nights” (1850), and in 1853 he wrote and presented the play (Al Salit al-Hasud), which he wrote following the style of the famous French Moliere.
• Contact with Western culture during Napoleon Bonaparte’s campaign against Egypt and the Levant also contributed to the emergence of Arab theatrical art.
• The Syrian “Abu Khalil Qabbani” succeeded Maroun al-Naqqash in the Arab theater industry and remained in Damascus until he closed his theater and emigrated to Egypt.
• When the Egyptian Opera House was established during the reign of Khedive Ismail, “Yaqub Sanu” presented various colloquial or adapted plays.
• “George Abyad,” the famous Lebanese theater and film actor, studied the origins of theater in France, and returned to Egypt in 1910 to Arabize and write several plays, including: (The Merchant of Venice).
• Then, theatrical troupes appeared in Egypt, such as the “Ramses” troupe, and the “Naguib El-Rihani” troupe.
• Tawfiq al-Hakim also contributed in the prosperity of the Arab theater, who published more than seventy plays, due to his hard study of the rules of theater in France, many writers and theater artists also contributed after him.

The first Arabic play

• Al-Bakhil (The Miser) is the first play in the history of the Arab theater.
• It was translated by Maroun Al-Naqqash from the play L’Avare by the French writer Molière, after his return from Europe.

The most famous Egyptian plays

• Hello Shelby: 1969, written by Youssef Auf
• Madrast Al-Mushaghebeen: 1971, written by the Egyptian writer Ali Salem.
• Al Ayal Kibrit: 1979, written by Samir Khafagy and Bahgat Kamar.
• Al Motazawegoon: 1979, written by Faisal Nada.
• Lock Your Girls In: 1980, written by Lenin El-Ramly.
• Raya and Sakina: 1980, written by Bahgat Kamar.
• Hala Habibty: 1985, written by Abdul Rahman Shawky.
• Alabanda: 1998, written by Ahmed Abdullah.
• Afroto: 1999, written by Ahmed Awad.
• Kedah okaih: 2001, written by Ahmed Afifi.

The most famous Syrian plays

• The Village of Tishreen: 1974, written by Duraid Lahham and Muhammad Al-Maghout.
• Ghurba: 1976, written by Duraid Lahham and Muhammad Al-Maghout.
• Cheers Nation: 1979, written by Duraid Lahham and Muhammad Al-Maghout.
• Shaqaeq Al Noaman: 1987, written by Muhammad Al-Maghout, Housam Tahseen Baik and Issa Ayoub.
• The Rainmaker: 1992, written by Duraid Lahham.

The most famous Lebanese plays

• Al Jaras: 1991, written by Rafiq Ali Ahmed.
• On Dignity and Stubborn People: 1993, written by Ziad Rahbani.
• Jawz al-Jawz: 1993, written by Marwan Najjar.
• Ministry of Hawara: 1993, written by Mounir Kesrouani.
• Lawla Fos’het al-Amal: 1994, written by Ziad Rahbani.
• Smile, you are Lebanese: 1995, written by Yahya Jaber.
• Felet el Mla’a: 1996, written by Mounir Kesrouani.
• Al-Boustaguye: 1997, written by Karim Abou Chakra.
• Kezzeb Kbir: 2006, written by Georges Khabbaz.
• Mech Mekhtelfin: 2012, written by Georges Khabbaz.

The most famous Gulf plays

Kingdom Saudi Arabia:

• Under the chairs: 1985, written by Ahmad Al-Dubaikhi.
• Owais XIX: 1987, written by Rashid Al-Shamrani.
• Al-Sharqi’s letters and days: 2007, written by Abdul Rahman Al-Muraikhi.
• The romantic Darisha: 2014, written by Mohammed Al Othaim.
• Our life is a flower: 2016, written by Wael Harbi.

The United Arab Emirates:

• Weddings and wounds: 1995, written by Ali Shaloubi.
• Haffar: 2002, written by Mohamed Saeed adDhanhani.
• Serk El Moasser: 2003, written by Sabah Atwan.
• In good faith: 2005, written by Abdullah Masoud.
• Ana We El Azab We Hawak: 2009, written by Awatif Naim.

Kuwait:

• 30 days of love: 1973, written by Abdul Hussein Abdul Reda.
• Turtle heroes: 1991, written by Abdul Rahman Al-Aql.
• Sherbaka Darbuka: 1993, written by Sami Al-Faraj.
• Super Sattar: 2003, written by Tayseer Abdullah.
• Love Street: 2009, written by Abdul Amir Ragab.