Meet Reda El Azami | Actor, Director and Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Reda El Azami and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Reda, why did you pursue a creative career?
Since childhood, I have found that my lifestyle greatly facilitated my artistic and creative exploration. As a child of five or six years old, I was fortunate to have a small theatrical laboratory in my childhood home. This laboratory contained a variety of theatrical accessories, decorations, costumes, and simple props. It bore witness to a collection of stories or plays, if I may say so, that I wrote and enacted myself, utilizing whatever was available in that laboratory, envisioning myself on a grand stage. These stories were often reimagined from cartoons and films of that time.

Growing up in a devout family that revered God, I often found myself pondering: How does God think, and how does the divine system as a whole operate to instill such unwavering faith in people? This question, seemingly childish at first glance, served as a significant impetus throughout my artistic journey. Whether writing a theatrical script, a novel, directing a play, or even when it comes to creating and embodying a character as an actor, the role played by the writer, director, or artist, in general, is somehow similar to the role of God. This latter is the writer and director of what one might describe as the play of life.
Thus, as a writer or director, depending on the role I occupy in the artistic project, I become the god of that work. This is by no means an easy task, as a theatrical work, for instance, entails a series of challenging stages from preparation to presentation on the stage. It is a creative process that demands your very essence.

Yet, God, from eternity past, has been doing just that, creating billions of characters and stories that have been intertwining since ancient times in a single pattern— the pattern of daily life. Consequently, I find myself engaging in artistic work, understanding more about the role of God and His work, drawing closer to Him.

This is apart from being someone who passionately enjoys the stage, theater, writing, and all creative processes associated with them at every stage, finding my fulfillment therein.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My childhood home holds a collection of beautiful memories that I attribute to shaping the person I am today. Being the only child in the family back then led me to spend most of my time in my small theatrical laboratory on the second floor as a form of entertainment. There, I wove a collection of stories and small plays using the simple tools available to me, imagining myself on a grand stage. These stories were adaptations from cartoons and movies I watched during that period, which I then reimagined and brought to life.

Subsequently, like any teenager, I went through a phase of confusion, forgetting all about that and focusing solely on my academic path. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing. After high school, I continued my studies in physical sciences at university, but success eluded me due to several factors. Firstly, I struggled to adapt to the academic environment, which I always found inhibiting to freedom of thought and creativity. Secondly, it was my first experience away from my hometown Tangier, leading to a bout of severe depression during this period. To distract myself, I turned to writing, which ultimately resulted in my first novel.

In the end, I decided to let go of everything and embark on a new journey in my hometown. I dedicated all my time to theater studies at the institute affiliated with the Ministry of Culture. This new experience opened doors for further development and understanding of my true identity and what I wanted to dedicate my life to. Over the years following my graduation, I produced a series of artistic and theatrical works that put my name on the theater map of Tangier, my hometown.

It took great courage for me to abandon everything I had built during my years at the science college. It wasn’t easy, and my family initially opposed and reproached my decision. However, once I decided to pursue my artistic career, no one deterred me. On the contrary, I found the freedom in creativity and thought that I had always sought.

Now, I work as a theatrical director, writer, and cultural mediator at the Ali Zaoua Foundation. Alongside the theater company I work with, we have been developing a new form of theater in the Tangier scene called improvisational theater through theatrical improvisation matchs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

The city of Tangier is truly unique, holding within its folds a diverse and beautiful mix of spots that one cannot afford to miss passing by or visiting. Yet, the best spot you can visit is undoubtedly Cap Spartel, especially during the unique sunset moment. Cap Spartel marks the meeting point between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and precisely at this point lies one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

The sight of the reddish sky at that hour, and the golden sun slowly descending into the ocean and extinguishing in it, is one of the most beautiful and surreal moments for me. It is in this particular moment that the universe merges and unites in one form with all its elements: land, sea, and sky.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
If I were to attribute what I have achieved so far in my artistic and creative journey to someone, it would primarily be myself. Being someone who never hesitated, even for a moment, to exhaust all resources in learning, acquiring new skills, and evolving day by day.

However, naturally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mother, who spared no effort in her patience and support throughout this time, believing that I could do it. Some of my friends also deserve credit for where I am today, as they were the guiding lights that steered my ship when it lost its way on numerous occasions.

My former director at Centre Culturel Les Etoiles du Détroit/ Fondation Ali Zaoua, Mr. Faysal Ziza, believed in me from day one, believing in the potential of that little child to grow, develop, and mature even more.

I also cannot forget all the teachers who have nurtured me since my early beginnings until this very moment.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elazami.reda/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elazamireda/

Image Credits
Reda El Azami