You may have seen the billboards and wondered. I know I did. A towering image of a group of people dressed in early 20th century Western attire, one of them ostensibly resembling the iconic British comedian and filmmaker, Charlie Chaplin. Emblazoned in golden letters across the foreground: Charlie. Was this a film? Its billboard hung high over a busy road, where one would normally see ads for Egyptian blockbusters, but it was nowhere to be found on movie theatre schedules. Not until I saw an ad for it on social media did I realise that this was, in fact, a play – a musical production titled ‘Charlie’, which would run for one night in Teatro Akran, Sheikh Zayed. Not having a clear idea of what this production had to offer, I had not planned on going until I was invited by family. With ticket prices ranging from EGP 450 (USD 15) for the nosebleed seats all the way to EGP 2000 (USD 65), I imagine many would not consider it an affordable night out. This was clearly no independent production in a small, unassuming theatre. Though the stage was small,…
Charlie: Is Egypt’s Latest Musical Theatre Production Worth Your Time?
February 28, 2023
