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Ahmad Pasha, who was so impressed by the boy's skills that he sent him at his own expenses to Until his last day, Yacoub Sanua remained loyal to the idea of Egyptian nationalism and was

study literature and art in Livorno, Italy, from 1853 to 1855. In Italy Sanua became acquainted active for the liberation of Egypt from the rule of foreign nations. During his exile in France, he
with European literature and theater, and was probably also politically influenced by the declared that he would not return to Egypt as long as the British ruled it, and indeed, he never
patriotic-nationalism of the Carbonari movement. returned there.

On his return after three years of study, Sanua became translator and teacher at the Royal Yacoub Sanua died in 1912 in Paris and did not see his dream come true. Egypt reaches partial
Palace in Cairo and at the Polytechnic school, speaking fluently many languages: Arabic, independence only in 1922, but Yacoub Sanua coveted full independence, undergoes a process

French, Italian, English, Turkish and Hebrew, and even Hungarian, Spanish, Polish and more. that lasted until 1952, with the removal of all British forces from Egyptian soil.

The plays written by Yacoub Sanua, the 'Father of Egyptian Theater' In the time of Sanua, the Jews of Egypt lived as Egyptians to all intent and purpose. They loved
the land of the Nile, their homeland, took care of its development, loved the Egyptian people
Immediately after the establishment of the Cairo Opera House in 1869, ahead of the glorious next to whom they lived, seeking their advancement and promotion. Yacoub Sanua is an
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celebration for the opening of the Suez Canal planned by Khedive Ismaïl (in Arabic يويدخ : excellent example of many other Jews who were part of the Egyptian society, and left their
Deputy of the Sultan in Turkey), Yacoub Sanua began to present his plays at the El-Ezbekeya mark in all areas: economy, industry, building of new cities, urban and agricultural
Theater situated northeast of the Opera House in Cairo. But if the Cairo Opera House, which development, cotton's processing until it became the finest and longest fiber in the world,
opened with Verdi's Rigoletto, was intended to stage the Comédie Française plays from France, promoting culture and art, and even working for Egyptian Nationalism.
and Italian Opera troupes visiting for the whole winter season, appealing to the European

audience in Egypt, Yacoub Sanua appealed to the common Egyptian people. This is the Yacoub Sanua is the only Jew expelled from Egypt for his Nationalism and support of the
greatness of Sanua. His plays not only reflected the Egyptian reality, but were also written in Egyptian people, and for condemning foreign rule in Egypt.
the spoken Egyptian language. The people finally understood what was presented to them on
stage. Sanua's retreat from usage of the ornamental literary language, and the adoption in his

plays of the spoken language, picked up a revolutionary momentum that continues to these days __________________
in the Egyptian theater. It was adopted by the Egyptian Film Industry too. The Egyptian people Written by: Levana Zamir - lecturer, researcher, laureate of the Prime Minister's Award 2016 on

identified so much in the plays of Sanua with what was happening on stage that the audience Studies about Jews from Arab and Islamic countries, for her book 'The Golden Age of Egyptian Jews in
became a partner in the play. Often, the audience interfered in the play's dialogue and advised Modern Times', and founder of the 'Heritage Center of Egyptian Jewry' at the Association's House in
the actors on stage how to react and how to act. In one performance, two policemen in the Tel-Aviv. She was part of President Ezer Weizmann's entourage during his formal visit to President
audience could not resist and jumped on stage to save the actress from the actor who acted Mubarak in Cairo in 1994. In February 2020, she headed the Israeli delegation invited to Egypt to the

cruelly towards her. In another instance, a real quarrel flared up on stage between the lead actor 'Chanukat Habayit' inauguration of the renovated 'Eliahu Hanavi' Synagogue in Alexandria.
and the propter, which resulted in slaps on the cheek. The crowd rolled with laughter, and the
next day the crowd demanded to repeat 'that piece'…

Initially, Sanua wrote musicals in 'Commedia dell'Arte' style, which he had seen in Italy, and
which did not exist in Egypt and the entire Arab world. Over time, Yacoub Sanua wrote and

adapted 32 plays and gradually moved from the "Commedia dell'Arte" style to real and entire
plays. The subjects of his plays dealt with issues such as those that preoccupied the great
French playwright Molière: Family intrigues and criticism of certain social personality types. In
his plays, Sanua was not only the author, but also the director, composer, choreographer, and

sometimes actor as well. The ban on contact between men and women in Egypt at the time, did
not allow female actresses to be brought on stage, and at times Sanua played the role of the

woman himself. He later enacted another revolution and brought Egyptian female actresses on
stage for the very first time.

Shortly after, Khedive Ismaïl invited Sanua and his troupe to perform at the Palace, and at the

end of the play the Khedive said: "We owe you a debt for setting up a National Theater for us.

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