- Aḥmad ʿAtmān’s (1945 – 2013, Egypt) play Māʿiz al-Bahnasā (‘The Goats of Albahnasa’, 2000) adapts Sophocles’ original play in six different tableaus. The reworking conveys the conviction that Egypt has long preserved the human heritage (as Ichneutae was found on Egyptian papyrus) and emphasizes continuity between ancient and contemporary Egypt. It does so by describing the relationship between local Egyptians in al-Bahnasa and a foreign expedition party who are looking for papyri, especially of Sophocles’ Ichneutae. During the search for papyri the cattle of the city Sheriff go missing, creating various levels of searching that take place at the same time (reference).
Refrences:
In order of appearance
- Mohammad Almohanna. 2016. “Greek Drama in the Arab World.” A Handbook to the Reception of Greek Drama, eds. Betine van Zyl Smit. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, West Sussex, p. 339-42