Laila Soliman
Regisseurin, Dramaturgin, Autorin
Laila Soliman is an independent Egyptian theatre director and playwright, based in Cairo and trained at the American University in Cairo and at Dasart in Amsterdam.
Laila Soliman has been relentlessly exploring the flux in the contemporary socio-political climate and its influence on individuals, relationships, and power structures. Drawing on collective memories and personal histories, her work is an attempt to bridge the gap between official versions and intimate and personal experiences. Her work has been shown in Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria, India, South Africa, and various countries in Europe. More recent pieces include “Zigzig” (2016), “Museum of Lungs” (2018), and “Wanaset Yodit” (2020). Her first opera, “Woman at Point 0” (2022) is currently internationally touring. From 2022 until 2024 she was Artist in Residence and Visiting Associate Professor of Theatre at New York University in Abu Dhabi.
Laila Soliman as participant of the International Forum 2010:
Director / Dramaturg / Author – Cairo
Laila Soliman, born in Cairo in 1981, studied theatre and Arabic literature at the American University in Cairo until 2004. She then staged “Retreating World” by Naomi Wallace and in 2006 “Ghorba, Images of Alienation”, a play developed with the group “Cairo Camps”, which she co-founded. In 2008, her play “Egyptian Products” was staged at the Royal Court in London, then also at Masrah Al Madina (Beirut) and the Segel Centre (New York), as well as being published in an anthology of young Arab drama. In 2009 she staged “... at your service!”, based on plays by Harold Pinter and Dario Fo/Franca Rame, at the Hanager Theatre, Cairo. Her production “Spring Awakening”, an Egyptian version, is currently being shown in Cairo. As dramaturg, she supervised the Stefan Kaegi / Rimini Protokoll production “Radio Muezzin”, which she also accompanies on its tours. Laila Soliman has also been working as a film costume designer in independent and commercial projects since 2001.
As of: April 2025