Part of Shubbak 2019*

Mo Khansa & Kabareh Cheikhats (London Debut)

Genre defying performances from Casablanca and Beirut: Popular songs meet aerial, drag and DJs in anarchic line-up.

Mo Khansa/ خنسا
From Beirut comes Mo Khansa: multi-genre musician, performer and aerialist. Contemporary belly-dance, drag, aerial work, middle-eastern avant-pop electronica all meet in a genre-defying performance exploring identity, sexuality and emotional vulnerability.

Kabareh Cheikhats كباريه الشيخات
From Casablanca comes the most surprising hit of recent years: Kabareh Cheikhats. Led by theatre director Ghassan El Hakim, 11 actors and musicians pay tribute to Morocco’s most famous female traditional folk singers. Both adored but also stigmatised, the cheikhats had an ambiguous position in society. With deep reverence yet wild and infectious flair Kabareh Cheikhats sing, dance and re-enact these powerful songs once again – songs of love, rebellion and fierce independence. Using traditional costumes, make-up and instruments and re-inventing traditions of drag and gender ambiguity, Kabareh Cheikhats create a party night like no other.