Ismail Erahhali

“Can You See the Boat Clearly?” is a contemporary clown project initiated by the artist-clown Ismail Erahhali and is a continuation of his collaboration with the scenographer Manon Terranova. They had previously worked together during the preparation of his final project at the Shems'y National Circus School in 2022. The project specifically focuses on the eye vision problems that both artists have shared since childhood, which have become the fundamental elements of this project, thus interconnecting their personal stories. The goal is to explore the concept of childhood through clowning to highlight how this period influenced their identities.

Ismail will travel to France to attend the L'été du samovar (Samovar Summer), a festival of clowns, burlesque and eccentrics, in which he will present his clown show "Accordage." Based on his graduation project at the National Circus School Shems in 2022, the performance includes a musical segment in which Ismail plays the guitar and sings well-known Western tunes, the lyrics of which have been translated into both of Morocco’s official languages, Arabic and Tamazight. Participating in this festival offers Ismail the opportunity to join the Samovar theater and training school in the autumn, enabling him to continue his studies and further hone his skills in the circus arts. He will be the first Arab performer to present a contemporary clown performance at the Samovar school in Paris.