What if Neil Simon wrote a lovable comedy about a Muslim-American family trying to hold itself together amidst the misunderstandings that run amuck and the comedy that ensues when the generations collide? It would probably resemble something like the surprisingly enjoyable, charming and oftentimes hilarious TEN ACROBATS IN AN AMAZING LEAP OF FAITH.
Fabrizio O Almeida, New City Chicago

With TEN ACROBATS IN AN AMAZING LEAP OF FAITH, playwright Yussef El Guindi takes the genre (of the immigrant experience) to a new place--the Arab-American experience post September 11, 2001. With humor, passion and a lovely touch of whimsy, he's created a theatrical experience that's not to be missed.
Louis Weisberg, CFP

El Guindi's engrossing play...finds a workable balance between sharp humor and head-banging angst, which shapes his story effectively.
Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times

Woven into this complicated family drama are scenes of delightful humor. Humanity is the substance that ties not only all of the characters together but also binds the audience to them. This play beautifully serves the purposes of drama, comedy, the artistic theatrical process and, perhaps most importantly, demystifying the hate that comes from fear of unknown cultures.
Venus Zarris, Gay Chicago Magazine

The drama comes from an emotionally vivid story that captures a world of anger, joy, love and frustration as it plays out in a Muslim-American family. The appeal lies in Guindi's ability to transcend ethnicity while still writing a rich depiction of a Muslim family... The emotional difficulties could belong to any family of any (or no) religion... Smart, challenging, poignant, whimsical and at times, delightfully silly.
Catey Sullivan, Pioneer Press

No matter where you live, the ups and downs of married life are universal. For a middle-aged American couple traveling to Egypt on a business trip-slash-vacation, their relationship is put to the test when an old connection leads to new temptation. As the eager tourists strive to connect with Egyptian culture in an authentic way, they end up getting more than they bargained for as long-dormant marital issues begin to percolate. Drawing from the political, cultural, and religious realities of living in the region, this quick-witted dramedy set in the heat of Cairo pits loyalty against attraction as its characters grapple with the ever-changing struggle of staying committed to their partners.

In A Clear Concise Arabic Tongue is a collection of 10 of Yussef El Guindi's one-acts and monologues. Here are reviews of some of them:

PICKING UP THE SCENT is a heart-breaking opener about life in a war zone. Archeologist Hisham discovers a lost perfume bottle. His wife Nisrin, a poet, begs him not to pursue its history further, what with the risk of the falling bombs and military advances. What follows is a stripped-down, actor en actor tear jerker. These are glorious moments: virtually no set, just black curtains, and a few actors giving it their all. It's a zinger of a start.

Clinton Stark, Stark Insider

IN THE TYRANT...excellence is established for the entire evening... The play itself is brilliant, dark, challenging and thoroughly believable... At the end of this short play I felt like I'd spent a month with this man, and that the experience had entirely changed the way that I look at myself and the world. Pretty much the definition of a 'complete', fully-realized play.

Jerry Kraft, SeattleActor.com

Last night I saw one of the best short political plays I've ever seen, a fifteen-minute one-person play called SO UNLIKE ME about a veteran peace activist...wrestling with despair, bleakness, powerlessness, the appeal of violence, the strengths and limits of non-violence and a bunch of other tough issues. It's funny, eloquent, disturbing and would make a great addition to some kind of cultural program that peace groups are putting on.

Paul Loeb (author of Soul of a Citizen ) in a letter to a peace activist

THE SNIPER...humor-filled but honest and riveting reflection on the deep psychological roots of militarism.

Robert Avila, San Francisco Bay Guardian

THE MONOLOGIST SUFFER HER MONOLOGUE is a witty and vibrant piece.

Jeffrey R Smith, Jeffrey R Smith Reviews

Jason returns from war to literary glory after writing an international bestseller, but his celebrity is underscored by his marriage to Madeeha, an Iraqi woman he saved. When he reunites with old friends, Amir and Lynn, questions emerge about the veracity of the book and its particular patriotic American gaze. Lust, jealousy, and personal politics bring things between old friends to a boiling point and we are asked what is the expense of lies ⁠-⁠ personally and as a country?

In a world where immigrants are often seen as monolithic others, this play, written by an immigrant, opens a window on their challenges and struggles ...El Guindi's script is spirited, profane, hilarious and pointed; line after line leaves its mark.
Amy Wang, The Oregonian/ OregonLive.com

Innovative, darkly funny work... In his plays, El Guindi tends to explore the experiences of immigrants and people of color, and the complex, troubling racial dynamics that can play out in the most seemingly progressive places... The dialogue is quippy, sharp-edged, and so full of subtly disappointed pronouncements that much of it wouldn't be out of place in a Wes Anderson movie... What's especially powerful about THE TALENTED ONES is that it deviates from many good immigrant narratives that reduce immigrant characters--whether real or imagined--to blandly virtuous caricatures... El Guindi's risky, weird comedy is enough to keep you in your seat.
Megan Burbank, The Portland Mercury

The new play is just offbeat enough to be unexpectedly funny and bizarre...THE TALENTED ONES' worldview still manages to be kind of beautiful--knife wounds and all.
Shannon Gormley, Willamette Week

There is comedy--side-splitting and dark. It's a haunting play because the truths are so real and the action so raw... A play that should have no problems finding its way into theaters across the country.
Judy Nerdy, Judy Nerdy Play Reviews

A one-woman show about the loneliness in intimacy and consent. Cass, a perturbed actor in a search for truth, welcomes the audience into her bed and her psyche as she rationalizes her thirst for attention with her personal boundaries. Through intimate, intertwining stories about her experiences with men, the audience gets to know Cass and feel, as she does, the presence of the unnamed collaborator who made all this possible. Watching COLLABORATOR feels less like watching a play, and more like listening to one of your girlfriend's stories ... It celebrates not only the strength of the female voice, but also the success of art in working through even the most complicated aspects of life ... COLLABORATOR is a must-see for every human being, as the questions it provokes are ones we should all consider. Its ceaseless fluctuation from hilarious to heart-wrenching moments is one you might be able to find in your own life. --Drama in the Hood

Through the dialogue the playwright's skill is revealed; the dialogue is incredibly witty and full of gallows humor, yet psychological insights abound about the two as well as discussions about whether individuals bear responsibilities for the decisions of their governments.
Marie Bonfils, Drama in the Hood

This is must-see theatre, for if the role of theatre is not solely to entertain but to provoke contemplation about our humanity--even if it means assaulting our senses, sensibilities, and assumptions and creating discomfort--then HOSTAGES fits the bill... It is a measure of El Guindi's's genius and craftsmanship that he pulls the audience aboard the excursion.
Herbert Paine, Broadway World

HOSTAGES is about our individual humanity and the related concept of fellowship. Echoing, in different ways, works by Sartre and Beckett, El Guindi explores how we survive on our own and how we survive with each other; what makes us ourselves and what makes us--and prevents us from being--free. HOSTAGES ranks as compelling and worthy theatre.
Martin Denton, nytheater indie archive

El Guindi's dialogue and humor are sharp enough to cut. These are most exciting roles of the evening...
Thom Taylor, Spectator