SHARJAH, UAE- Renowned Egyptian actor and director Khaled El Sawy shared practical lessons in stage presence, character development and effective communication during his interactive workshop, ‘Acting Studio: From Training to the Stage’, at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026) at Expo Centre Sharjah.
The three-hour session explored techniques for controlling the voice, developing spatial awareness and commanding an audience’s attention with confidence and authenticity. El Sawy stressed the importance of overcoming shyness and fear, particularly when mistakes occur during a performance.
“We will make mistakes; there is no way around it. The real skill is not allowing those mistakes to throw us off balance but in recovering from them without losing control,” he said.
Drawing parallels between acting and everyday professions, El Sawy explored how lawyers, street vendors and even con artists adopt distinct personas to engage and persuade others, illustrating the importance of developing a convincing character.
“Being good looking is not enough; it is important to have a character,” he emphasised.
He also stressed that discipline, respect for fellow performers and consideration for time and the performance venue are essential to professional acting.
The Egyptian actor, known for films including The Blue Elephant and El Deif (the guest), explained that effective communication requires full-body engagement rather than relying solely on vocal strength.
“A powerful voice does not originate in the throat. It comes from the support of your entire body. Moreover, raising your voice is not enough. You must learn to speak with clarity, confidence and resonance. Ultimately, effective communication is about how you make people listen, understand and remember.”
El Sawy invited participants onto the stage to perform scenes and express different emotions, putting the techniques discussed during the workshop into practice.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, SIBF 2026 hosts 3,212 publishers and exhibitors from 126 countries, showcasing more than 1.7 million titles. The 12-day event features 1,500 cultural, creative and artistic activities, including literary discussions, author interactions, workshops, theatrical performances, the Thriller Festival and the Cookery Corner.
