El Sawy Culture Wheel resumed operations on Thursday, July 9. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
El Sawy Culture Wheel resumed operations on Thursday, July 9. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Inside the concert hall, El Sawy Culture Wheel placed pictures of old Egyptian singers and actors on the chairs next to attendees. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Inside the concert hall, El Sawy Culture Wheel placed pictures of old Egyptian singers and actors on the chairs next to attendees. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Attendees shared the theatre with stars of a bygone era, including Soad Hosny and Omar Sharif. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Attendees shared the theatre with stars of a bygone era, including Soad Hosny and Omar Sharif. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The quirky initiative allowed audience members to maintain social distancing protocols. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The quirky initiative allowed audience members to maintain social distancing protocols. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The cultural centre reopened with the puppet show 'Oum Kolthoum Returns', organised by the Sakia Puppet Theatre. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The cultural centre reopened with the puppet show 'Oum Kolthoum Returns', organised by the Sakia Puppet Theatre. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
El Sawy Culture Wheel was established in 2003. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
El Sawy Culture Wheel was established in 2003. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
El-Sawy Culture Wheel's star-studded audience. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
El-Sawy Culture Wheel's star-studded audience. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
An audience member joins the applause after the show. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
An audience member joins the applause after the show. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The Puppet Theatre included renditions of the popular hits Amal Hayaty and Enta Omry. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
The Puppet Theatre included renditions of the popular hits Amal Hayaty and Enta Omry. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
A woman poses for a photo at a concert in the Puppet Theater at El-Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
A woman poses for a photo at a concert in the Puppet Theater at El-Sawy Culture Wheel, Cairo. EPA/Mohamed Hossam

On Stage

Cairo theatre employs famous faces to aid with social distancing – in pictures

El Sawy Culture Wheel placed pictures of old Egyptian actors and singers on the chairs between attendees

Selina Denman
Selina Denman

July 10, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Visitors to Cairo’s El Sawy Culture Wheel found themselves in good company when they attended the centre’s first performance since the pandemic began.

To maintain social distancing protocols, the centre placed pictures of old Egyptian singers and actors on the chairs in between attendees, creating the impression they were sharing the theatre with stars of a bygone era, such as Soad Hosny and Omar Sharif.

Inside El Sawy Culture Wheel placed pictures of old Egyptian singers and actors on the chairs next to the attendees to maintain social distancing. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Inside El Sawy Culture Wheel placed pictures of old Egyptian singers and actors on the chairs next to the attendees to maintain social distancing. EPA/Mohamed Hossam

With the aim of preserving Egyptian and Arab identity, El Sawy Culture Wheel was established in 2003 as a full-scale cultural centre, providing spaces, stages and support for various art forms to thrive.

The centre reopened with the puppet show Oum Kolthoum Returns, organised by the Sakia Puppet Theatre, which included renditions of the late singer's popular hits Amal Hayaty and Enta Omry.

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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