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Cairo is a comedy cow and “Stand Up Cairo” is definitely milking it.
By Alexandra Sandels First Published: April 19, 2007
Are you a fan of stand up comedy or a good stage performance? If so, make sure to check out “Stand Up Cairo,” a new stand up comedy show on life in Cairo scheduled to open in the heart of the capital in mid-May.
Born out of a heated discussion on Cairo’s arts and cultural scenes in the late hours of a Downtown party, the show was founded by a group of non-affiliated individuals in an effort to revive Egyptian stand up comedy and provide Cairenes with a good laugh.
“We have been thinking about this project individually for quite some time now. After we were brought together by faith at this party, we came together and started laying down the groundwork for ‘Stand Up Cairo.’ Now we are in the middle of auditions,” Sarah Carr at “Stand Up Cairo” told The Daily Star Egypt.
Tag lined ‘Cairo is a comedy cow and we’re milking it’, it is tentatively scheduled for May 13. Auditions are currently taking place at the Contemporary Image Collective Center in Mounira.
“We are looking for classic stand up acts consisting of one [person] and a mic performing sketch comedy. We are not interested in theatre troupes or monologue reenactments. In essence, we want to hear the voices of local Cairenes and khawagas who find comedy in Cairo’s craziness,” Carr told The Daily Star Egypt.
Acts should last between two and five minutes and can be performed in both English and Arabic, or a mix of the two.
While the performers were few at last week’s audition, a number of acts have reportedly already been confirmed.
“There are at least three sketches in Arabic so far and one number which is a mix of English and Arabic,” Carr said.
Furthermore, while free speech is encouraged in the show, “Stand Up Cairo” asks participants to avoid certain sensitive topics.
“Be funny, but please don’t get us banned on opening night,” the organizers emphasized in a press statement.
“I think we will draw the red line at religion and the Egyptian army to be on the safe side,” the organizers added to The Daily Star Egypt.
For more information on “Stand Up Cairo” and upcoming auditions, please visit http://standupcairo.blogspot.com or call (02) 337 7535. All auditions will take place at CiC (Contemporary Image Collective Center), located at 20 Safeya Zaghloul Street in Mounira.
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