The legendary Moroccan play “El Harraz” is making a comeback in a new staging at Rabat’s Mohammed V National Theatre on 25 September, offering Moroccans living abroad who are in the country a rare chance to reconnect with a cornerstone of national theatre. This fresh version of the El Harraz play in Rabat is directed by theatre maker Amine Nassour.
El Harraz play in Rabat: what to know
Created in the 1960s, “El Harraz” is one of the most iconic works in Moroccan theatre. Written by Abdeslam Chraïbi and originally brought to the stage by Tayeb Saddiki, it quickly became a reference point for generations of artists and audiences.
The new El Harraz play in Rabat is presented as a creative laboratory rather than a nostalgic revival. It is part of an ongoing reflection on Moroccan theatrical memory and the revitalisation of a key text through a renewed stage vision.
The team behind the show does not aim to reproduce Saddiki and Chraïbi’s version identically. Instead, they treat it as an open artistic space, inviting a contemporary reading and a conversation between heritage and the present.
ISADAC graduates at the centre of the project
This revival is carried by the 35th graduating class of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art and Cultural Animation (ISADAC). It is structured as an educational and professional project that links training, stage practice and the transmission of Moroccan theatre memory.
For these young actors, performing “El Harraz” on the stage of Mohammed V National Theatre is a demanding but formative step. They must engage with a dense, musical and poetic text while embodying it with the energy and concerns of their own generation.
This approach strengthens the connection between the training institute and the wider public. For families from the Moroccan diaspora visiting Rabat, it is also an opportunity to discover the work of the emerging theatre scene and to support the new wave of artists.
Between oral heritage, Malhoun and today’s audience
“El Harraz” is above all a musical play rooted in Moroccan oral heritage. It draws on the Malhoun repertoire, and more specifically on the poem “El Harraz” by Cheikh El Mekki Ben El-Qorchi.
By revisiting the piece, the creative team seeks to make this popular material speak to today’s audiences, who are more used to streaming platforms and social networks than to long poetic evenings.
For Moroccans living abroad, attending the El Harraz play in Rabat during a stay can be a way to:
- rediscover a founding text of Moroccan theatre,
- introduce their children to a work rooted in the country’s language and music,
- observe how a new generation of artists is reclaiming Morocco’s cultural memory.
Staged in the heart of Rabat, at Mohammed V National Theatre, this new reading of “El Harraz” is shaping up as a highlight of the cultural season and a living bridge between generations in Morocco and abroad.
A cultural landmark for trips back home
For those planning to visit Rabat in late September, adding this performance to the agenda can enrich a stay often filled with administrative errands, family visits and project planning. It offers a different kind of evening, focused on theatre and shared memory.
Travellers are advised to check schedules and access conditions for Mohammed V National Theatre in advance, especially families flying in specifically or passing briefly through the capital.
For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.
For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.
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