Towards an Egyptian Theatre: Syncretic Aesthetics in the Works of Tawfiq al-Hakim and Yousuf Idris

Abstract

Tawfiq al-Ḥakīm (1898-1987) and Yūsuf Idrīs (1927-1991) are two towering figures in Egyptian and Arabic theatre, not only for their poignant social commentary but also for their bold theoretical and theatrical innovations. Their contributions served to decolonize the Egyptian stage and paved the way for subsequent generations to reclaim an Egyptian identity. The objective of the current research paper is to investigate how the two playwrights syncretized elements from Western and Eastern theatrical traditions that created unique and impactful theatrical experiences which are neither Western nor indigenous but amalgamation of both. Moreover, the paper delves into the dramatic world of al-Ḥakīm and Idrīs, specifically al-Ḥakīm’s Agamemnon (as revisited and reworked in Qālibunā al-masraḥī [Our Theatrical Mold (1967) and Idrīs’s al-Farāfīr (1964). Through an examination of these plays, the analysis explores the playwrights' experimentation with dramatic form, which draws upon the rich tapestry of Egyptian folk culture, while simultaneously engaging with the universality of content found within the Western dramatic canon. The research paper is grounded in a multifaceted theoretical framework that integrates several theoretical concepts. Deploying Christopher Balme’s “syncretism,” along with Homi Bhabha’s “third space” and Erika Fischer-Lichte’s “interweaving” as analytical framework, this paper examines the transaction between indigenous and colonial theatrical productions that led to the emergence of new dramaturgies by al-Ḥakīm and Idrīs that bridge the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial paradigms. The paper concludes that the playwrights’ incorporation of syncretic forms in their plays represents the recognition of multifaceted cultural heritage.