Ahmed Taib El Alj (9 September 1928 – 1 December 2012) was a Moroccan writer of
Moroccan Arabic Zajal poetry and drama.[1] He received several prizes and decorations for his service to
Moroccan Arabic language theatre.
Life
El Alj was born in
Fes. He wrote more than forty plays and adapted more than thirty works for the stage. According to
Salim Jay, the work of al-Aldj is a "treasure of the culture of humanity".[2] He rewrote, in
Moroccan Arabic, works by
Molière,
Shakespeare and
Brecht and had a great influence on Moroccan popular culture. His work was markedly influenced by French theater, especially the plays of
Molière and
Pierre Beaumarchais. He died in
Rabat.
Awards and honours
In 1973, he was awarded the prize of Literature of Morocco, and in 1975, the Medal of Intellectual Merit of
Syria.