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The Cairo Trilogy (Dramatised)
- Narrated by: Omar Sharif
- Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins
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The Cairo Trilogy (Dramatised)
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Summary
Omar Sharif leads an all-Egyptian cast in this three-part drama, recorded entirely in Egypt's capital.
Adapted from the novels of Nobel Prize-winning author Naguib Mahfouz, this gripping family saga chronicles the life of a downwardly-mobile middle class family as Egypt emerges from colonialism and adjusts to the modern world.
The Cairo Trilogy traces three generations of the family of tyrannical patriarch Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, who rules his household with a strict hand while living a secret life of self-indulgence. We are introduced to his gentle, oppressed wife, Amina, his cloistered daughters, Aisha and Khadija, and his three sons-the tragic and idealistic Fahmy, the dissolute hedonist Yasin, and the soul-searching intellectual Kamal. As his rebellious children struggle to move beyond his domination, the world around them opens to the currents of modernity and political and domestic turmoil brought by the 1920s.
Throughout the trilogy, the family's trials mirror those of their turbulent country during the years spanning the two World Wars, as change comes to a society that has resisted it for centuries.
Cast:
Old Kamal...........Omar Sharif
Young Kamal.......Karim Fouda
Kamal............Amr Waked
Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawab.....Ihab Sakkout
Amina..............Caroline Khalil
Fahmy..............Mena Reda
Yasin................Tamer Nasrat
Miriam..............Ola Roshdy
Aida...............Shirine El Ansari
Zanuba...........Maryam El Khoshed
Zubayda..........Zeinab Moubarak
Ahmad................Sedky Sakhar
Munim.................Ahmed Nour
Sawsan...............Dina Nadim
Badur..................Radwa Elgabry
Other cast members: Rena Malak, Yara Goubran, Nairy Avedissian, Ekram Zalat, Sherif Nour, Salah Fahmy, Yeve Youssef, Saymaa Shalan, Mika Thabet, Hany Seef, Hugh Sowden.
Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon
Directed by John Dryden
Music by Sacha Puttnam
A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4
Critic reviews
"This is a Sony award-winning production of the late Naguib Mahfouz's saga set in Cairo from 1917 to 1953, during the rise of nationalism and the beginnings of Islamic fundamentalism. A patriarchal family, a mirror of Egypt itself, has monstrous father al-Sayyid Ahmad at its head. His sons rail against the tyrannical love and tradition in the family and ally themselves to the dangerous upheavel outside. Recorded in Cairo and crammed with the tumultous sounds and voices of a city in crisis, the dramatisation is brilliant. Its brightest star is the plangent, soulful voice of Omar Sharif as al-Sayyid Ahmad." (Observer)
What listeners say about The Cairo Trilogy (Dramatised)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 16-12-22
Complicated voice recognition
At the beginning voices did sound very similar and it was difficult to follow different characters.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Brian Keaney
- 11-09-08
Authentic, evocative and moving
Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel prize for this trilogy and I can see why. This trilogy tells the story of three generations of one family against the backdrop of the Egyptian struggle for independence. The remarkable authenticity of the production (it was recorded in Cairo), the quality of the acting, even the evocative background music all make this a really memorable listening experience.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dima_sky7
- 29-10-20
Brilliantly performed & well summarised
Distilled three novels into three hours is a hard job but this is done so beautifully. The dramatisation and actors are all great. The music and sounds production brings it all to life so beautifully. Highly recommended.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard Brooks
- 31-03-18
A rich captivating production
Any additional comments?
Recorded and cast in Cairo, there is a real depth and authenticity to this production that charts the fate of three generations of Eygptians in the tumultous interwar period. Great performance, rich production values and a quick paced story that provokes thoughts about the roots of today's Middle East. Would listen again.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- jesjaspers
- 23-04-17
ok drama
it is such a pity there is not an unabridged reading of this undoubted
classic.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 19-09-21
Dramatised / abridged version
Beautifully set to audio, narrated by Omar Sharif from book by the Nobel winning author.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TatMummy
- 14-11-17
Just sad that it's finished.
Brilliant dramatisation. A shame it's so abridged and this very short. But very enjoyable nonetheless.
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