A story ‘Hotter Than Egypt’ at the DCPA

No matter where people find themselves, marriage is a complicated bond. There are always going to be challenges — nobody is immune.

The all-important marriage vows are put to the test in “Hotter Than Egypt,” in which Middle East American Distinguished Playwright Award winner Yussef El Guindi follows an American couple as they explore a foreign culture.

The play runs at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Kilstrom Theatre , Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street, through Sunday, March 12. Most performances are at 7 p.m., but there are some 1:30 p.m. matinee shows on Sundays.

The show follows Jean (Kate MacCluggage) and Paul (Gareth Saxe), a middle-aged, Midwestern couple who are in Cairo to celebrate their 26 th wedding anniversary. There they meet a young Egyptian couple who serve as tour guides and witnesses to the airing out of long-held grievances.

Chris Coleman, artistic director and director of the play, answered some questions about the show, what audiences can expect and more:

Interview edited for brevity and clarity.

Tell me about the genesis of the show?

Yussef and I worked on an earlier show of his called “Threesome,” which we mounted in Portland, Seattle and eventually New York. So, we got to know each other well. He shared “Hotter Than Egypt” with me the summer prior to the 2020 Colorado New Play Summit and I found it taut and mature and thought our audiences would respond well to it.

What drew you to the show?

I loved the collision of cultures, and how that changes both relationships in the play. I was particularly struck by Jean’s journey: this American tourist who has lived her life for others, who feels pretty repressed and shut down,