History of Red Tomato تاريخ قوطة حمرا

The beginning of the collective dates to June 2009, when its five founding members met in a street-clown performance project with the Clowns Sans Frontiers, France. All five had previous experience of street theatre and performance. Joining together and continuing work together over a year with clowning, street performance, and giving workshops, led the members to the formulation of the idea of Red Tomato. 

Activities & cooperations:

 

November 2011 – ongoing: Project “Drama for Self expression and Creativity”. Drama work in Refugee Community Schools in Cairo. Theatre workshop for 20 refugee children from different countries; “Yes chief!” Clown performances in 16 community schools.
    Project Leader: Catholic Relief Services (International NGO)

September 2011– ongoing: Project “Theatre workshop with Street children and Social workers”.  Training social workers and street children from 6 local NGOs developing a theatre play. Performed the first time 27 October in the Children’s Park, Sayida Zeinab. Project Leader: Medincins du Monde (French International NGO)

June 2011- ongoing: Street Clown performance: “Yes chief!” (The premier took place for the World Refugee Day in  El-Sawi Culturewheel in front of a 500 capacity audience).

February – October 2011: Project "Actions for Vulnerable Children - Improving Capacities for Intervention". Training social workers from 20 local NGOs working with child labourers and street children. Drama and group creativity workshop, and follow up to start implementing drama work in all NGOs. Project Leader: Ricerca e Cooperazione (Italian international NGO).

June 2009 – Dec 2010: Cooperation with Clowns Sans Frontiers, France. Creation of street shows for children and all audiences. (A total of about 70 performances reaching an audience of roughly 7500 people)

November 2009 – December 2010: Special focus on street-children – cooperation with Clowns Sans Frontiers, Samu Social Egypt, FACE Egypt, National Council for Womanhood & Childhood. Artistic and social interventions for street children in Cairo. Nigh-time performances in localities where street children gather around Cairo; Animation days, game-playing & drama exercises; Performances in “Ahdath” (Juvenile correction institutes) of Cairo & Giza.

June 2010 – ongoing A community theatre creation for awareness building about Refugees in Egypt. Two members participate as actors, and two as project artistic leaders. The troupe involves also  eight refugees from five different countries. Cooperation with the Psycho Social Training Institute of Cairo (PSTIC), AUC. (By June 2011 13 performances done; audience approximately 1600).  Video Report CNN:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/11/23/ia.help.egypt.refugees.bk.a.cnn?iref=allsearch

October 2010: Circus show creation and performance with Circus Shake of Berlin, Germany. Two performances for 1500 audience. Cooperation with Grenzkultur, Germany; The National Circus of Egypt; El-Sawi Culturewheel.

4 & 5 November 2010: Three performances at the Alexandria Farah el-Bahr Mediterranean festival. One street parade show; two Clown/circus performances. Audience approximately 4000.

1 February 2011: Inter-active samba parade performance on Tahrir square, Cairo on the first “March of Millions”.  

Youtube Links :        Million's March Samba on Tahrir
                                Million's March Samba on Tahrir 2

Friends & Associates:

-          Clowns Sans Frontiers, Clown Collective, France.

-          Terre des Hommes, NGO Switzerland/Egypt.

-          Grenzkultur, Culture Centre, Germany

-          Psycho Social Training Institute of Cairo – AUC

-          Ricerca e Cooperazione: Italian international NGO
-          Medicines du Monde: French international NGO
-          Catholic Relief Services: International NGO