6 Egyptian plays to watch on Netflix during Eid Al Adha 2021

Eid Al Adha is just around the corner, which will bring with it a six-day break of sleeping in, getting that summer tan, and binge-watching Netflix.

One of the most popular traditions that many households across the Arab world do during the mornings of Eid is watching Egyptian plays with the family, diving into the history of Arab theatre and all it has to offer.

Well we’ve got just the list for what to watch to get into the Eid spirit, with English subtitles too! Six Egyptian plays for six exciting days.

1. The School of Mischief (مدرسة المشاغبين)

Inspired by the 1967 British film To Sir, with Love, the 48 year old play has been an Eid classic for a long time. The theoretical performance stars some of the most prominent Egyptian comedians Saeed Saleh, Adel Emam, Younes Shalaby, and Hassan Mustafa. The play is about a high school teacher volunteering to transform five troublemaker pranksters into model students but the journey leads to an unintentional outcome. The comedy is seen to accurately reflect the sarcastic and mischievous nature of young men in high school.

2. No Longer Kids (العيال كبرت)

Also starring both Saleh, Shalaby, and Mustafa, No Longer Kids is about four rebellious siblings that find out about their father’s affair and come together to pull ludicrous and foolish measures to prevent him from skipping town with his mistress. The story sheds light on issues that anyone can potentially experience humorously and lightly.

3. Raya and Sakina (ريا وسكينة)

Based on Egypt’s infamous serial killers and sisters Raya and Sakina. The play is about the robberies and murders that were happening to women. These unfortunate events in the early 1900s bombarded the Egyptian police resulting in the hunting of the criminals. The play is ironically a comedy yet hits all the right emotional spots. It gives the audience an idea of how Egypt used to be in the early 20th century but with an irreverent twist.

4. Lock Your Girls In (سك على بناتك)

Starring Egyptian Sherihan, the theatrical comedy revolves around a widower trying to marry off his three daughters to marry his secret lover, Esmat. The performance amuses the viewers on the hysterical challenges a single dad faces, all while raising three problematic and sassy daughters. `

5. The Married Couples (المتزوجون)

The comedic play is about a married couple where they both come from different classes. It humorously showcases how married couples in Egypt face and deal with economic, emotional, and societal issues. The cast includes Egyptian stars, Amir Ghanem and Sherin. The show makes the audience engaged by watching the personality of the couples grow.

6. The Witness Who Couldn’t See Anything (شاهد ماشافش حاجة)

Also starring Adel Emam as Sarhan Abdel-Baseer, The Witness Who Couldn’t See Anything is a hilarious detective story about the murder investigation of a belly dancer. The performer happens to be the neighbor of Sarhan, making him the suspect. The play shows the humorous nature of Emam playing that role.

These plays can be emotional, heavy, and difficult to accept. However, Egyptian theatre is known for taking stories and producing them in a way where the audience can enjoy watching these stage performances and grow from them.