Psychologists may disagree, but for every individual – as contrasted with the collective – there are no set reactions for dealing with persistent failures and disappointments.
Does one have to blame fate or accept responsibility for any kind of inertia they have been undergoing, especially when these disappointments do not fall simultaneously, but rather at the end of each era that is thought to be one of prosperity, reform and aspiration.
Perhaps, only then, when all seems lost to despair, does depression trigger a series of philosophical contemplations that question – indeed, challenge – the reality and meaning of this existence.
But when life becomes replete with defeats, will death emerge as the only salvation?
This is the tone that punctuates “Kan Gadaa (He Was A Brave Man), the theatrical performance currently showing at the Madbuli Theatre in Cairo.
The performance, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the late satirical poet Naguib Surur s birthday, is based on excerpts from his works and long poems that have mostly been written in colloquial Egyptian.
The performance that brings to centre stage Mahmud Al Gindi and Mahmud Masoud as well as a group of other zealous performers is compiled and directed by Iman Al Sirafi.
But the performance is actually a starless show, the main protagonist of which, besides the actors, is a large musical band and vocalists of all ages.
The play asks whether our independence and freedom have just been a simulation of victory that was bound to end in slavery.
The motif that is accentuated by the powerful musical notes would for the first while suggest the idea of musical theatre.
But with all the performers and vocalists clad in black, the notion of an epical theatre or narrowly that of a long elegy would tend to have the upper hand.
It is in this type of play that the audience is offered the excerpts from Surur s works like “Yassin and Bahia , “The Olive Tree , “Oh Night Oh Moon and others, all of which crystallizes moments of defeat in battles where the Egyptians had to struggle against either the local authorities or colonial powers.
But the result in both challenges were the same, the weaker party walked out of the battle licking their wounds and finally had to succumb to their tribulations.
Yasin was killed in the prime of youth because the mayor of the village willed that he would not achieve conjugal union with Bahia. Similarly, Hassan is liquidated by Naima s family after he couldn t stop himself from tuning songs that expressed his inflamed passion for his beloved.
But loss and defeat are as old as Egyptian history itself, a reality that has been reflected by the design of the backdrop, which depicts an ancient Egyptian temple on the roof of which stands Osiris, the Egyptian God, lamenting the deceit and betrayal that caused his death.
So are we destined to suffer disappointment and defeat – is that the lot of Egyptians?
What would have happened had Orabi, the reputed army leader disbelieved the Khedives and mistrusted De Lesseps who opened the Suez Canal for the British troops? asked one performer.
Would have Egypt been spared a century of British occupation?
But such chagrins have paled in comparison with a situation where people today have to grapple with the evils of globalization, cultural invasion and the reversal in the importance people attach to values.
One might sometimes get lost in the maze of these excerpts but their tragic effect that remains enhanced by the music composed by Farouk Al Sharnoubi certainly makes Kan Gadaa, according to actor Ahmed Maher, one of the richest shows produced during this season.
It s a work where the short acts from Naguib s works, the commentaries of Al Gindi and Masoud and the absorbing melodious music and singing combine in total harmony to produce the epical effect in one of the very few of theatrical performances where the musical skills are exhibited direct rather than in recorded form as in most of other today s shows.
It is a real tragedy with no glimpse of hope other than a playful cheerful song that is performed at the end.
