33rd Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (CIFET)

This event has ended. Dates for the next edition will be added here once they are announced.

Founded in 1988, the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre is one of the oldest avant-garde theatre festivals in the region. Its 33rd edition opened at the Cairo Opera House on 1 September and ran until 8 September 2026, with around 21 productions from 16 countries performed at theatres across the city, alongside workshops, seminars and masterclasses. The 2026 edition welcomed the British Council back after a 15-year absence and announced actor Willem Dafoe as a guest. Many performances are physical or visual and easy to follow without Arabic, and tickets are inexpensive or free, usually distributed at the venues shortly before showtime. The full programme is published by the festival and Ahram Online in the days before opening.

What to expect

The festival usually presents a mix of international and Egyptian productions, from physical theatre and dance-theatre to text-based work and multimedia pieces. Performances take place in several theatres in central Cairo, often on the same evening, so it is possible to see more than one show a night. The audience is made up of theatre students, critics and practitioners, and the mood is lively and engaged.

Getting there

The Cairo Opera House is in Zamalek, next to Opera metro station on Line 2. Several other theatres used by the festival are in Downtown, within walking distance of Sadat and Attaba metro stations. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy to find.

Planning tips

• Early September in Cairo is hot, so plan daytime sightseeing for the morning.
• Arrive early for popular shows, as free tickets are limited.
• Check the daily schedule, as performance times can change.
• Bring a light layer for air-conditioned theatres.