Zouzou Ben Chikha - © Jimmy Van Kets

Zouzou Ben Chikha

Zouzou Ben Chikha (°1971, Ostend) is an actor, musician and theatre maker. From 1994 to 1996 he studied trumpet and guitar at the Jazzstudio in Antwerp. Until 2001 he played as a guitarist/trumpeter with Shera Z (Algeria), Atto Kwamenah Amissa (Ghana), Waza Roots (Ghana), Calabas (Belgium) and Rojah Lao (Togo).

Since 2003 Zouzou and his brother Chokri Ben Chikha have been creating a number of successful and much-discussed performances from Union Suspecte (which later included Ruud Gielens, Mourade Zeguendi and Haider Al Timimi): De Leeuw Van Vlaanderen, Onze Lieve Vrouw Van Vlaanderen (2003), We people (2005), Hotel Ah!Med (2007), They eat people (2008), Broeders van Liefde (2009).

Zouzou also acts in this period in Niet alle Marokkanen zijn dieven (2001) (HET PALEIS/DAStheater), Grensstraat 41 Rue de la Limite (2002) & L'Hafa (2003) (Les Glandeurs/Le théâtre de Galafronie), Coup d'état (2006) and Het moment waarop wij niets van elkaar wisten (2008) (Ruud Gielens/Kaaitheater).

Since 2009 Zouzou and Chokri have been the artistic core of Action Zoo Humain. Together they direct the productions Gülers Travels (2012), The Truth Commission (2013), Flandrien (2014), and Join the Revolution (2015). In 2013 Zouzou Ben Chikha directed De Zwarte Schande (Bleeding Bulls), a monologue with Maarten Goffin.

From 2015 Zouzou will combine theatre with television making. In Flanders, he will become known to the general public in 2015 thanks to his role as garage owner Amar in the television series Bevergem (2015) and businessman Ibrahim in Generation B (2017). In the season 2016/2017 Zouzou will play the role of Nabil in De zonder zon zon, a contemporary fairy tale with a text by Pieter De Buysser and a direction by Ruud Gielens (ARSENAL/LAZARUS). From Action Zoo Humain, Zouzou will be coaching Maxime Waladi's monologue Le Chicon in 2016/2017. He also coaches The man, the woman & the bear at Bronks. Zouzou plays a part in the novel adaptations Platform and Submission two productions that Action Zoo Humain presented in collaboration with NTGent.