The great Shore-to-Shore caravan starts its move today from the UK to Essaouira. This follows a very successful British leg over the past week that included Monday's acclaimed performances at St Marks in Regents Park.
Musicians, actors, dancers, cooks, historians, photographers will all be converging for performances and celebrations, first in Essaouira and then Marrakech. I will be joining them for a few days at the weekend.
Our Moroccan sufi hosts Boujemar and Abdou...
....have been working tirelessly setting things up at their end, they have even organised a dinner with the Governor.
I am particularly looking forward to the Street Life photo workshops which top celebrity photographer and artist, Terry Morris, is leading. Terry will be giving digital cameras and tuition to local kids and then encouraging them to portray their Essaouira rather than the tourist version. The culinary side should be fascinating as well. Caroline Yeldham, the food historian, and Andy Hook, the Newcastle chef, restaurateur and champion of Medieval food, will be exploring the gastronomic cross-currents between Britain and Morocco in the past, and -- I hope -- cooking up some treats with our chef friends in Morocco.
Of course the incomparable Passamezzo from the UK and the Ensemble Mogador Musique Soufi will be continuing their collaboration and playing hauntingly beautiful fusion music; and there will be performances of dance and English and Arabic texts from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Next week in Marrakech Shore-to-Shore will be taking part in the prestigious Arts in Marrakech Biennale as well as a Shakespeare symposium at Marrakech University.
Wow what a lot of links....
Keep watching this space for more details.
