Paris was a Woman Khalid Koujili El Yakoubi & Bibi van Lieshout

In Paris was a Woman, Bibi van Lieshout and Khalid Koujili El Yakoubi celebrate the underexposed Queer history of Paris and of themselves. In the 1920s, they find brave women like Djuna Barnes, Gisèle Freund and Ada 'Bricktop' Smith unconventionally choosing love and art in their time. The makers draw inspiration from the Parisian 1950s based on the photo book Les amies de place Blanche by Christer Strömholm, who made intimate portraits of trans women. Bibi and Khalid question the fragility of our fought-for freedoms by dancing Parisian nightlife back to life. In an ode to these pioneers, they also celebrate their own Queer existence above all else, transforming as fluid butterflies of the night.

About Khalid Koujili El Yakoubi 

Khalid Koujili El Yakoubi (he/him) is an actor and theatre maker. He graduated from KASK Ghent with the performance Don't make it about you in which he explores the representation of 'the other' in Western theatre. Khalid was part of the Montignards#5 and played for others in Vlaemsch (Chez Moi) by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

About Bibi van Lieshout 

Bibi van Lieshout (she/her) is an actress and theatre maker. She studied at the King's Theatre Academy in 's Hertogenbosch (NL) and graduated from the RITCS in Brussels in 2020. She has since worked as a creator and performer for various theatres such as Bronks, Theatre Antigone, hetpaleis, and Théâtre L'Aria (Corsica).

Contrary to previous communication, Nouha Rannoun is not (no longer) involved in the creation of 'Paris was a Woman'.