Biography

Ahmed El Attar is an Egyptian independent theatre director, translator and playwright. He is founder and artistic director of the Temple Independent Theatre Company and of Orient Productions for film and theatre.

El Attar is also the founder and general manager of the Studio Emad Eddin Foundation that provides rehearsal, residencies and training space to performing artists in Cairo.

His works, which address socially relevant themes, have been performed to public and critical acclaim throughout the Arab world and the West. He presented two performances during the 9th Sharjah Biennial: On the importance of being an Arab (2009) and The Committee (1998).

El Attar's most recent work Hassan X 2 and the Magic Well (2009) is a major production for children that explores issues of class discrimination and the global water crisis.  Other work includes F**K Darwin, or How I’ve Learned to Love Socialism (2007) which won the best actor award at the Cairo International Experimental Theatre Festival (2007), Othello, or Who’s Afraid of William Shakespeare (2006), Mother I want to be a Millionaire (2004) and Life is Beautiful or Waiting for My Uncle From America (2000).

Ahmed El Attar has a BA in Theatre from the American University in Cairo and an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle and was recently a Chevening scholar on the Clore Leadership Programme (UK). He is a member of several international boards and advisory committees including Femec - Forum Euroméditerranéen des Cultures. In 2005 El Attar was chosen by the Arabic edition of Newsweek as one of 42 personalities influencing change in the Arab world.

October 2010