Laila Elwy Makes Theatrical Comeback with "The Red Box" after 27-Year Hiatus

Veteran Egyptian actress Laila Elwy is returning to the stage with the play "Al Sandok Al Ahmar" (The Red Box), after 27 years of absence.

The play also stars Mimi Gamal, Tarek El Ebiary, Soliman Eid, Rana Raeis, Nour Ehab, Bayoumi Fouad, Marwa Abdel Monem, and more.

The play's official synopsis reads: "Dr. Farida, a psychiatrist, faces the greatest challenge in her professional career when the daughter of her first love asks her to help treat her sister and save the family of her lover, who failed her and left inside her a wound that time has not healed... Can Farida separate her buried feelings from her work and her professionalism, or will things get mixed up in each other? Do her feelings control her professionalism?."

"Al Sandok Al Ahmar" is set to be staged from January 3-7 at the Mohammed Al Ali Theater in Boulevard City.

It is held as a part of the ongoing Riyadh Season 2023. The 4th edition of the Riyadh Season kicked off on October 28 under the slogan of "Big Time".

Elwy made her last theatrical performance in the 1996 play "Al Jamila W Al Wehshen".

Al Sandok Al Ahmar

Elwy, born on January 4, 1962, made her acting debut at a young age in children's programming "Abla Fadeela" on the Radio and "Mama Samiha" on the television.

Laila took small parts in films as a child and performed in several titles. Late Egyptian actor, Nour El-Sherif discovered her acting skills while she was performing on stage.

Elwy starred in several stage productions such as “al-Brenseesa” (The Princess), “Gamilla wa Wahshayn” (Two Beasts and a Beauty), “Baklarious fee Hokm al-Shab” (A Degree in Governing the People)، “8 Sittat” (8 Women), and “Sahlab".

She co-starred in her first role in a drama in the TV series “Dimoo’ Fawq al-Haqiqa” (Tears Over the Truth).

Her other TV credits include “al-‘Aaila” (The Family), “al-Tawaam” (The Twins), “’Atfet Khoukha”, “Teyoor al-Sayf” (Birds of Summer), “Akho al-Bannat” (His sisters), “Ta’aaly Nahlam bi Bokra” (Let’s Dream of Tomorrow), and “Alf Leyla wa Leyla”(One Thousand and One Nights).

Elwy has received numerous film awards and has served as a producer in the 1952 film “Ya Mihalabiya ya”.