Rabat – Moroccan-British actress and writer Safia Lamrani has created a theater piece inspired by the tale of Aisha Kandisha aimed at introducing it to theater lovers in London.
The tale of Aisha Kandisha, a female mythological character from Moroccan folklore, is one of the most famous myths in Morocco. The story has been passed from one generation to the other. Its significance within Moroccan culture prompted Lamrani to bring the Moroccan fable to the London stage.
In an interview with Morocco World News, Lamrani indicated that she was fascinated with the tale of Aisha Kandisha, describing her as an “iconic female character.” Thus, she wanted to create an artistic, theatrical piece that explores the nuances and complexity of Aisha.
Co-founded by Lamrani, Pistachio Theatre Company hosted its first scratch night called “Out the Shell 01.” The event, which took place at a theater in Chelsea, London, was an opportunity to showcase several performances, including stand-up comedy, spoken word, and theater. “With stories from around the world, it was the perfect time to introduce Aicha Kandisha,” Lamrani noted.
Why Aisha Kandisha
Lamrani highlighted the origin and “mysticism” that surrounds Aisha Kandisha, “a mythical woman that supposedly lures in men and maddens them”. According to converging stories, Aisha Kandisha is a historical figure who fought for Morocco’s independence from Portugal.
Lamrani, who is “intrigued by complicated and layered stories, characters that seemingly contradict themselves and are hard to understand,” was fascinated with the multifaceted character of Aisha Kandisha.
She is a woman and a demon, a myth that is based on truth, and a figure of horror who is also potentially a freedom fighter, explained Lamrani. She added, “the contradictions and layers are exactly what I want to explore on stage.”
Lamrani added that she wanted to “create art that explores complicated and nuanced Arab women.” Thus, taking “a Moroccan folktale with such an iconic female character” and challenging “who she really is through a modern lens” was “exciting,” she added.
Who is Aisha Kandisha
While researching the story of Aisha Kandisha, Lamrani came across several versions and accounts regarding her origins. “Some argue she was a real woman, a fighter against Portuguese colonialism in Morocco, others say she is a jinn,” Lamrani said.
Most stories, however, describe her as being half human, half animal, with “her hooved feet and goat legs creating an unforgettable image of horror,” she added.
In spite of the various “disagreements” regarding her origins, most people’s version share a common narrative: “The notion that she is still alive today, swimming in the waters of Tangier and luring in men as her victims,” Lamrani indicated.
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In addition to researching Aisha on the internet, Lamrani sought first-hand accounts from individuals who were familiar with the tale. She argued that the oral transmission of stories is “a key part of Moroccan story-telling,” adding that this tradition “carries the air of mysticism necessary to heighten the drama of these tales.”
“A lot of my research had to come from individuals who themselves have claimed to have had narrow escapes with Aicha,” Lamrani noted.
Positive reaction
Lamrani adopted a simple traditional storytelling setup for the performance, with “lowlights, a cushion on the ground, and direct delivery to the audience.” The theatrical piece is performed in a mixture of Darija – Moroccan Arabic – and English.
“The feedback from the audience was very positive, with both fear and excitement surrounding Aicha,” she said.
Among the audience was Moroccan actress and producer Nadia Nadif, who was very positive about the performance. Lamrani quoted Nadif as saying: “It [the performance] was very special because it was the first time I have heard Darija onstage in the UK when I was not speaking it myself!”
Similarities between Moroccan and British folk tales
The premise of a beautiful female character who uses her beauty as a weapon to trick men is “present in many folktales, across many cultures,” Lamrani said, giving the example of the myth of the sirens from Homer’s Greek poem the Odyssey.
According to Lamrani, “the idea of the unknown being something scary and to fear is a trope evident in both British and Moroccan folk tales, however especially in British tales.”
The British-Moroccan actress attempted to bring “an unknown character [Aisha Kandisha] to the London stage” and present her “in the light of an eerie and horror genre” She wishes to challenge “why she is seen in this light and whether or not she truly is someone to fear.” Lamrani’s approach was an “exciting way to unite these two worlds,” she said.
The half-British half-Moroccan writer grew up in Leicester, England. Still, Lamrani remained attached to her Moroccan roots, as she has spent significant time in Morocco’s northern city of Tangier, where her Moroccan family is from.
Powerful message
Lamrani views art as a “powerful tool,” that can be used to raise awareness, educate, inspire, and much more. She added that “when creating art, I want to bring Moroccan stories and beauty to the stage, especially in London.”
Lamrani aims to shed light on “the richness in culture,” as well as show how different cultures can intertwine in their “styles and forms of telling stories.” She also seeks to feature “complicated, often misunderstood, and layered” characters. “taking an old traditional character and viewing her in today’s light allowed me to do so,
Future plans
Lamrani is fascinated with the “intimacy of traditional Moroccan storytelling,” particularly the focus on storytelling and the audience gathering together, sitting, and sharing the stories in a minimal and simplistic setting. The latter “allows full focus to be on the words to create the atmosphere,” she said.
It is evident that Lamrani enjoys exploring those elements in the Aisha Kandisha performance, particularly by focusing on the various “images” that can be created through language. The Aisha Kandisha play was performed using a mixture of Darija and English, “with only the words and the audience’s imaginations.”
“I certainly want to use this style of story-telling more often in the theater I am part of,” Lamrani noted.
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The young Moroccan actress initially saw the Aisha Kandisha play as a “stand-alone short piece.” But the more she learned about the character, the more inspired she became to “delve further into her character, as more than just a horror figure.” The audience’s positive feedback has since encouraged Lamrani to further explore the character.
“Perhaps a piece that explores several female folk characters is the direction I’d like to go in next, and finding a way to perform them in both London and Tangier,” she concluded.
