Decades after his death, Noha ElKholy uncovers letters, diaries, and photographs left behind by her great-grandfather, the Azharite scholar Mohamed Abdallah Draz. Through this archive, she embarks on a journey to illuminate M.A. Draz’s life story, from his humble beginnings in the village of Mahallat Diyay, to his formative years in Alexandria, and his scholarly pursuits in Paris.

Al Sowan is an Egyptian play written and directed by French theatre-maker Pascal Rambert and translated by actress, director, and drama critic Menha El Batrawy. This is Rambert’s first Egyptian play, written especially for the local audience at D-CAF – where it is set to make its World Premiere. The play brings together a dazzling cast, starring actors Magdy Atwan, Noha El Kholy, Nanda Mohammad, Mohamed Hatem, Raafat El Bayoumi, Sarrah Abdelrahman, Ahmed Malek, Laila Ghoneim, Marwan El Gabalawy and Yehia Hussein.