←Recommendations of Drowning in Cairo

An absolutely brilliant play that weaves through time as we look at the lives of three gay men.

I count myself very lucky to have caught the Golden Thread production of "Drowning in Cairo." Such rich and complex characters, with a story that pulls at you from every imaginable angle. I mourn for the young joy I wish the characters were able to have. Funny and bitter sweet, with many images that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend reading or seeing a production of this play if you are given the opportunity!

In a world where the lie of killing your wife is preferable, how are you expected to cope when you're out of the closet? Under an oppressive political regime, the only thing to do is insight change at great personal sacrifice through getting the story out there. Well done.

A brilliant and beautifully told story that makes excellent use of live theater with the design elements and transitions described within. Taha, Moody, and Khalid are such distinct and supremely complex characters, and Adam Ashraf Elsayigh renders them with nuance and care. What a fascinating and powerful examination of the very different paths people carve out for themselves when living within oppressive circumstances. The playing with chronology raised tension and stakes, and it allowed for a careful and intentional unfolding of information and character growth. I sincerely hope I see a production of this potent story sometime soon!

Drowning in Cairo is a brilliant new play from an up and coming Middle Eastern playwright that every theater in America should have their eyes on. It is rich in character development, historical, and timely- following the arrest of three gay men in Egypt in 2001. We produced a reading at National Queer Theater and it was a huge success with our diverse audience.