SHRINE

A daughter seeks refuge with the Djinns, non-human beings, in a world parallel to our own. She, a Daughter, who carries the greatest pain, sorrow, and grief, is wanted by the government. Her mother was murdered by the systems maintained by people and powers. In this immersive performance, Khadija El Kharraz Alami transforms the theatre into a courtroom, temple, and place of security and comfort. She demonstrates once again how she finds forms that make the role of the marginalized woman in our societies tangible. Khadija El Kharraz Alami draws inspiration for her immersive theatre performance SHRINE from the work of feminist activist Silvia Federici. In her essay Caliban and the Witch, Federici describes the role of women in the context of the transition to capitalism, and in particular the witch hunts that so marked this period. She also points out the impact of these patriarchal practices on social structures that still exist today. SHRINE relies on a story (but above all a pattern, a narrative structure) of a Daughter who seeks refuge with the Djinns, non-human beings, in a world parallel to our own. She, a Daughter, who carries the greatest pain, sorrow, and grief, is wanted by the government. Her mother was brutally murdered by the systems maintained by humans and powers. The Daughter bears witnesses to this and chooses a fair fight for justice, following the steps of the rule of law. El Kharraz Alami demonstrates once again how she can transform essayistic work into action, and how she finds forms that make the role of the marginalized woman in our societies tangible. How this leads to alienation and social inequality, and how the struggle for radical equality defines one's position in society. Which erased roles of women in societies can we revive, and which buried cries will be heard? Tilted between a lawsuit and a mourning process, Alami hits her mark with ‘Shrine’ when she lets go of the mythological world of the Djinns and stands in the middle of the room. She does so as furiously as she does it gently swaying. That makes her authentic. - Lotte Ogiers in pzazz • Khadija El Kharraz Alami (1987, Amsterdam) is an actress, theatre maker, and performance artist. Inspired by Angela Davis, her work is an attempt to create the liberated human being. In her creative practice, she emphasizes the importance of research, education, experimentation, and craftsmanship in society. She proposes a future through her performance art, by creating worlds, movements, and archetypes in the here and now, and by shedding light on voices, individuals, and communities we might otherwise forget.