Remembering the Legacy of Khaled Al-Tarifi: A Theatre Icon

Tragic, painful and shocking news received by theater audiences in Jordan. There was great sadness among the artists with the passing of their great one who taught them elegance and beauty, the exceptional actor, brilliant director and distinguished writer Khaled Al-Tarifi, who finally left our world after a short-lived struggle with cancer, which said its last word, when it robbed us of one of the most important pillars of theatre. The Jordanian Minister of Culture, Haifa Al-Najjar, mourned him in a statement that said: “We are saddened by the passing of a creative and theatrical expert who gave his effort to serve theater lovers. He had a distinguished vision and approach.”
Khaled, in addition to his large, rich and diverse artistic history, was exceptional and unlike anyone else, endowed with high charisma and a strong, remarkable presence. His personality was characterized by spontaneity, spontaneity, innocence, quick wit, wit, and sensitive human feeling, which made him loved by everyone. As soon as he meets you in the theater halls, he tells you: Happy New Year. His approved greeting to all. His students, the creative young men and women who learned from him the secrets of theatrical work, were not accustomed to addressing him with the word “professor,” as required by the rules. Rather, they continued to call him “Yaba,” the nickname he loved best, because he was a father to them in the true sense, showering them with giving, attention, love, encouragement, and support. He is an educated artist who engages with the details of life with a very sensitive eye and is devoted to the point of loving the stage.
Al-Tarifi was distinguished by his sharp sense of sarcasm, which he employed in his highly distinctive works, whether in theater or on television. He demonstrated his presence as a heavy-handed actor, mastering his tools, and able to embrace the character without any contrition. In all his works, he remained close to the pulse of the street, brilliantly expressed people’s concerns and sorrows, and gained the respect, love and appreciation of the cultural and artistic community. Throughout his life, he remained free and self-sufficient, an ascetic and self-centered, and he did not master the game of public relations. Stardom, which is the weakness of artists, was not a serious goal for him, as he was never interested in achieving gains or chasing after roles.
During his long artistic career, Khaled Al-Tarifi presented many dramatic works, profound and serious, at the level of directing, acting, and writing, perhaps the most important of which were his plays “A Theater Group Found a Theater,” “Samson and Delilah,” “The Journey of Harhash,” “Alone in the House of Madness,” and “It’s Time “Fantasia,” “Dumdum Tok,” “Wedding Weddings,” “Laughter, Play, Blood, and Love,” “A Dream Called a Dream of a Night of Love,” and many others that are difficult to mention in this haste. He won awards in many local, Arab and international festivals, for best direction, best acting and best scenography, and was honored by the Jordanian Writers Association and the Jordanian Artists Syndicate.
Like the case of Jordanian artists who suffer from marginalization and neglect from Arab production companies, the space he so richly and richly deserves was not opened for Khaled, despite his genius as a director and actor. He was not well known at the level of the Arab world, and I do not think he strove for that, out of self-respect, so he missed out. The Arab public should get to know this exceptional talent that is on par with international stars, but this, it seems, is the fate of Jordanian drama, which was once at the forefront of Arab drama, and the Jordanian artist was wanted in major historical works, for his ingenuity, commitment, and culture before commercial works dominated the dramatic scene. Arabi.
We mourn the passing of this theatrical figure who enriched the Jordanian theater with his most important works, and the absence of this sweet, generous spirit overflowing with love, humanity, and beauty. We will miss his presence at festivals, and we miss his loud voice ringing on stage, urging us to life, hope, and unconditional love. All condolences to his family, colleagues, and many fans, and may his memory remain eternal, just like his name.