The use of heritage and its impact on Decolonial aesthetics in the theatrical performance “Letters of Freedom” by Hafez Khalifa' as a case study

Abstract

The use and intellectual–visual integration of heritage within the structure of theatrical creativity constitute a cultural foundation capable of generating decolonial aesthetics that reinforce values of belonging and identity while keeping pace with intellectual, social, and political transformations. This study stems from a central question: how can theatrical performance employ local heritage to liberate it from its static, museum-like character and reformulate it within a contemporary artistic vision? The play Letters of Freedom, written by Ezzeddine Madani and directed by Hafez Khalifa, was selected as an applied model to examine the artist’s balance between adhering to heritage as it is and reshaping it to serve his artistic discourse. The study uses a descriptive–analytical method to interpret the performance in relation to aesthetic and theoretical approaches. It concludes that the use of heritage in this context enables theater to produce renewed expressive forms that contribute to consolidating an authentic cultural identity while opening the way for decolonial theatrical aesthetics that transcend local frameworks toward broader human and global horizons.