A tribute to the Cheikhats

Name: A tribute to the Cheikhats — Kabareh Cheikhats
Start: 2026-12-12T20:00:00+01:00
Location: Schouwburg Kortrijk

Kabareh Cheikhats

A compelling spotlight on forgotten female voices

Sat 12 Dec ’26 20:00

12 Dec ’26

20:00

12 Dec ’26

20:00

Schouwburg Kortrijk, Kortrijk

Schouwburg - Zaal OAAS

From 11 Jun ’26 10:00

In this compelling tribute to the free‑spirited Moroccan Cheikhat women, men break through imposed patterns and proudly reveal a hidden part of their identity. The result is an intense, moving and liberating performance with a powerful message.

Kabareh Cheikhats is a remarkable collective of men from Casablanca who breathe new life into Morocco’s rich folk heritage. With their contemporary interpretations, they honour the legacy of the Cheikhats - once highly respected women in their communities: powerful figures, warriors, poets of resistance and lost loves. Today, many of them have been forgotten or burdened by stigma. Kabareh Cheikhats aims to restore this tradition to its rightful place.

The performers bring far more than music. Dressed in traditional kaftans, with make‑up, wigs and painted tattoos, they embody the Aïta: long, powerful sung poems passed down through generations of Cheikhats. Their performance breaks open taboos around gender and identity, creating a liberating space where hidden stories come into view.

What began as a theatre idea has grown into an international success. Since their first performances in 2016 in Casablanca, the collective has taken stages across Morocco, Europe and the United States. Kabareh Cheikhats is an immersive, moving and daring performance - an ode to tradition, identity and freedom.

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