“Hotter Than Egypt,” coming to Marin Theatre Company March 31-April 24, follows American couple Paul and Jean as they travel to Cairo for their 24th wedding anniversary.
Long-dormant troubles within the marriage start to percolate, and their two Egyptian tour guides, the newly engaged Maha and Seif, become drawn into the crisis. This dramedy set in the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution explores the uneven power dynamics between these Western tourists and the locals. Dreams and relationships are put to the test when old connections lead to new temptations in this brand-new piece by Yussef El Guindi, whom the Los Angeles Times calls “undeniably gifted.” “Thought-provoking and hilarious. I give ‘Hotter Than Egypt’ an exuberant YAY,” wrote Broadway World.
Egyptian-born El Guindi, an award-winning playwright who has become a favorite with Bay Area audiences, wrote this body of work that explores collisions of ethnicities, cultures and politics. “In the plays of Yussef El Guindi… the interpersonal implications of cross-cultural exchange are no less complex than the political ones. Characters from different backgrounds fumble for common ground, and the results are sometimes hilarious, sometimes fraught — and often, both,” wrote the Seattle Times. A prolific writer, El Guindi’s other works include “People of the Book,” “Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World,” “Language Rooms,” “Threesome,” “Hostages,” “Collaborator,” and more.
This play was selected for the Marin Theatre Company season by MTC Associate Artistic Director Nakissa Etemad and will receive its world premiere in a co-production with A Contemporary Theatre Seattle. The brilliant cast includes Paul Morgan Stetler (Paul), Wasim No’mani (Seif), Naseem Etemad (Maha), Jen Taylor (Jean) and Ahmad Kamal (Boatman/Museum Guard/Doorman).
Tickets to “Hotter Than Egypt” — $35 for seniors, $39 for general admission — are available now.
