Midnight in Cairo: The Divas of Egypt's Roaring '20s by Raphael Cormack
A review of Midnight in Cairo: The Divas of Egypt's Roaring '20s by Raphael Cormack.
When I saw this book in the new section of my local library, I was immediately intrigued by the 1920s concept alone. I’m a big fan of the historical narrative of the 1920s throughout the globe, especially in East Asia, where in cities like Shanghai and Tokyo a new subculture gradually began to appear. I knew nothing about the 1920s and the Middle East, and to see an entire book on it immediately had me gravitating to starting this book as soon as possible. And, I will say, I completely devoured this book quickly within a span of two days because I was just so interested by the topics covered within.
Y’all, I’m going to be blunt: this book is an absolute treat and a gem. I haven’t read a book this quickly since going through Crying in H Mart, and that memoir is a solid 100 pages less than this hefty read. I’m even considering buying myself a copy of this book once I get a bigger space, because this is a valuable resource for my own research and artistic endeavors in the world.
I’m going to keep this intro short, because there’s a lot to gush about and explain when it comes to approaching this book.
Book Blurb
One of the world’s most multicultural cities, twentieth-century Cairo was a magnet for the ambitious and talented. During the 1920s and ’30s, a vibrant music, theater, film, and cabaret scene flourished, defining what it meant to be a “modern” Egyptian. Women came to dominate the Egyptian entertainment industry—as stars of the stage and screen but also as impresarias, entrepreneurs, owners, and promoters of a new and strikingly modern entertainment industry.
Raphael Cormack unveils the rich histories of independent, enterprising women like vaudeville star Rose al-Youssef (who launched one of Cairo’s most important newspapers); nightclub singer Mounira al-Mahdiyya (the first woman to lead an Egyptian theater company) and her great rival, Oum Kalthoum (still venerated for her soulful lyrics); and other fabulous female stars of the interwar period, a time marked by excess and unheard-of freedom of expression. Buffeted by crosswinds of colonialism and nationalism, conservatism and liberalism, “religious” and “secular” values, patriarchy and feminism, this new generation of celebrities offered a new vision for women in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.
Content
This is not some dry history book that you’re going to be forced to read for class. Well, if you’re not interested in history at all, then you might not be as interested, but if you even hold a vague interest in women’s history, theatre history, Egyptian artistic history, or the 1920s, then you’re in for a treat when it comes to this book. We begin at the beginning of modern Egyptian theatre as we know it today. This is the 1860s, but then we get the interweaving of political history and colonialism in Europe, forcing several of the prominent theatre heads to be exiled or forced to shut down their theatres.
Theatre really began to boom in the 1910s, but hit its peak in the 1920s, starting out of one downtown district in Cairo, one that is stereotypically seen as seedy and full of brothels and prostitutes. The book then delves into the challenges that female actresses faced throughout their time looking for a life on the stage; many started originally as cabaret singers or dancers in the Egyptian tradition, which many criticized them as prostitutes or immoral. This stigma then carried onto the stage, where women were fiercely criticized if appearing nude or indecent by societal standards. These women truly went through hell, that’s for sure.
We read about the wealthy making their mark, poor women from the countryside becoming dreamy actresses adored by the masses, the political undertones British influence and colonial power had on theatre. The book then shifts gears and follows some of the most famous actresses, dancers, and singers of the era, ones who embodied feminism and paved their own path separate of women. In the beginning, only Jewish or Christian women would appear on the stage, but then Muslim women defied the traditional religious expectation and slowly began to become more integrated into the world of theatre. And many of these women, who were so famous during their time, are now forgotten today. Many died penniless and unknown, despite how worshipped they once were.
I find this to be a truly powerful and moving book, despite its context being completed rooted in history and it being more of an educational resource than something many wanting to read for leisure. It sheds light onto an era many of us don’t know about; we like to think of the 1920s as just revolutionary in the West, but it truly was a global occurrence and absolutely was a game-changer for even a country many ignorant may think is quote-on-quote backwards.
Overall Thoughts
I could not recommend this book more, truly. It was a good read, the writing didn’t feel stiff or boring at all, and I enjoyed the occasional picture sprinkled in of the women involved in the scene. I felt like I came out of this book so much more educated about the history of culture and women’s involvement in Egypt, although this just focuses on the arts and largely the 1920s. I do want to continue reading and expand my knowledge about Egypt, particularly women’s affairs, because I was so interested with what I read here. All in all, if you’re even vaguely interested in the topic, definitely think you should pick up a copy.
