This study examines the influences the Brechtian theatre had on the Egyptian theatre during the 1960s. Two factors determined the choice of this specific period. First, the fact that Brecht was introduced for the first time on the Egyptian stage in the early sixties, with the result that a growing interest in his works was generated among Egyptian dramatists, directors and intellectuals. Secondly, the Egyptian theatre was going through an unprecedented era of revival in the sixties, reflecting a nation-wide upsurge of cultural interest in general. The latter was initiated, promoted and generously subsidized by the state. The revival of the Egyptian theatre and the introduction of Brecht were both products of new political and social realities emerging in Egypt at this particular moment of history. The main argument of the thesis rests on examining how these factors contributed to establishing Brecht as the most influential figure on the Egyptian theatre in the period. These factors are given full consideration in Part One. The introduction seeks to put the Egyptian theatre into its historical Arabic perspective. It gives a critical account of the indigenous forms of theatre and the common ground they had throughout the Arab world, long before the arrival of the western form in the nineteenth century. The account ~s also meant to underline some corresponding elements between these indigenous forms and the Brechtian concept, which were brought into focus as a resul t of the call for a genulne Egyptian theatre of identi ty that emerged at the time. Chapter I examlnes the sociopolitical background against which the Egyptian reception of Brecht took place, followed by a cri tical account of the Brechtian theatre in Chapter II. Chapter III deals wi th the introduction of Brecht to Egypt, giving critical accounts of productions of four of his plays on the Egyptian stage in the sixties. Part Two deals wi th Brechtian influences on Egyptian plays written in the sixties. It is divided into four chapters, each of the first three examines the works of a leading dramatist, with critical accounts focusing on their dramaturgy and subjectmatter. The last chapter tackles the Brechtian influence through a different perspective, by examining Egyptian adaptations of three plays by Brecht. The conclusion summarizes the argument of the thesis as a whole.