Twitter
Last year, there were more than one million Tweets in Egypt about theater, while local entertainment celebrities were amongst the fastest growing accounts in Egypt.
With entertainment being a key topic on the platform, and at a time when watching classic plays is one of many ways people reconnect with family and friends to celebrate, Twitter launched an emoji to spotlight the theater-led conversations taking place on the platform.
Launched on July 13th, a few days prior to Eid Al Adha, the Arabic hashtag مسرحيات_العيد# (#EidPlays) unlocks an emoji of two masks ?, symbolizing the performing arts. It will remain live on the platform for the next two days.
Here’s what took place on the platform as part of مسرحيات_العيد# (#EidPlays):
Actor and comedian Mohamed Henedy (@OfficialHenedy), the star of several classic Egyptian plays, joined the conversation with a video discussing the importance of theater.
Henedy looked back on the impact of theater in his life and career, as well as touched upon the unique connections cultivated between actors and audiences during a performance. A celebration of Eid traditions, the video highlighted his hopes for the theater to once again play an integral role in today’s society.
Twitter’s account in the region (@TwitterMENA) revisited memories from classic Egyptian plays in the form of a thread that featured GIFs of famous scenes, inviting people to elaborate on the moments.
A number of public figures in Egypt got involved by Quote Tweeting their own responses. Amongst them were actors @Khalid Mansour, @Shadi Alfons, @Yara Fahmy, @ToniMaher_, and radio and TV hosts @Wael Mansour and @Khalid Elish.
Khalid Mansour on Twitter: “لما أخش أي مكان ويتعزم عليا بكحك وبتي فور #مسرحيات_العيد” / Twitter
يارا فهمي? on Twitter: “كل الشغل اللي ورايا قبل الأجازة ???♀️ #مسرحيات_العيد” / Twitter
Khaled Eleish on Twitter: “جدتي تدي كل العيال العدية وأنا لأ #مسرحيات_العيد” / Twitter
Actors @Khalid Mansour and @Shadi Alfons joined in the celebration, with a video sharing their modern comedic take on a famous scene from the play “The School of Mischiefs” (Madrsit El Moshaghbeen).
Lastly, @TazzMuhammed , whose quarantine video last year was among the most Retweeted Tweets in Egypt, Tweeted a video where he put his own twist on the song “The Sunny Sun’s Light Came Out” (Telet Ya Mahla Nourha Shams El Shamousa) from the play “The Children Grew Up” (El Eyal Kebrt).
Kinda Ibrahim, Director of Media Partnerships, Twitter MEA and Turkey said, “With a growing audience base that saw a 20% year over year increase in monetizable daily active users, Twitter’s role in providing a platform for public conversation has grown during the pandemic. Twitter continues to be the place fans flock to, to watch and talk about their favorite plays, movies, and series to stay up to date with their favorite celebrities.”
For those looking to join the conversation, Tweet with the hashtag مسرحيات_العيد# (#EidPlays), and share your favorite plays to watch during Eid.
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For more information about Twitter in the Middle East and North Africa region, follow @TwitterMENA, @TwitterMktgMENA and @MomentsMENA. Visit our blog at blog.twitter.com.
