CAIRO: Renowned Egyptian ballerina Magda Saleh will be honored next month by the New York-based dance and theater troupe, “From the Horse’s Mouth,” which will be holding several events in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
The event will also be screening a documentary on the history of Egyptian dance called “Egypt Dances” in which Saleh is the pivotal character.
Four performances, exploring Egyptian dance and culture, will also take place at the theater later this month, according to a press release.
Saleh is considered one of the most influential figures in Egyptian arts, with a long career filled with milestones.
She debuted her talent in the 1960s on the stage of the Khedival Opera, and was one of the early graduates of the Bolshol Academic Choreographic School based in Moscow. Saleh had briefly acted as the founding director of the new Cairo Opera House.
She was honored with the “Order of Merit” by former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
The Horse’s Mouth anniversary celebrations will take place on March 13-17.
Legendary Egyptian ballerina to be honored in New York next month
Legendary Egyptian ballerina to be honored in New York next month
REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On?’ — stars elevate Bradley Cooper’s low-key rom-com
DUBAI: Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial effort is based — loosely — on the life of popular UK comedian John Bishop, so you might expect stand-up to be its focus. It isn’t. This is a bittersweet low-key depiction of a love that has eroded between a couple who’ve been together for decades.
Alex (Will Arnett, of “Arrested Development” and “BoJack Horseman” fame) — a regular guy with a regular job — and Tess (Oscar winner Laura Dern) — a former Olympic volleyball player, now a housewife and mom — are separated, heading for a mutually agreed divorce, and keeping it amicable partly for the sake of their two kids, partly because they still get on well — just not well enough to stay together.
Newly single Alex decides to get a late-night drink at New York’s famed Comedy Cellar. To avoid paying the $15 dollar entry fee, he signs up for a slot at the open-mic night (a part inspired by Bishop’s own origin story). With no material planned, he’s not great, but his self-deprecating, anecdotes about his impending divorce get a few laughs. Most importantly, the experience sparks a new passion in Alex and he continues to perform, befriending other comics who offer him companionship and advice and a new perspective that leads him to re-evaluate his own contributions to his marriage. His newfound spark also makes Tess see him in a new light, one that might just convince her to give him another shot.
What elevates this sometimes-saccharine, not-entirely-believable (exhibit A: the scene where Tess discovers that Alex is using their relationship as comedy material) film above similar fare is the engrossing chemistry on show between Arnett and Dern as people struggling to (re)discover themselves in middle age. Arnett is typically charming and witty as Alex, but brings out unexpected depths of emotion in what may be his best performance to date. Dern imbues Tess Tess with the toughness and independence you’d expect from a successful former pro athlete, but gives equal weight to her vulnerabilities as someone who’s invested so much of her identity into something she can no longer do to the same high standards. Their relationship is so sweetly genuine you’ll find yourself rooting for them both.
