During February 6-23, Return to Palestine will be toured across the West Bank. Return to Palestine is centred around Jad, a Palestinian born in America, who goes to Palestine for the first time in his life. Wanting to know more about his people and identity, he finds out that reality is very different from what he has seen in the news.
Return to Palestine is directed by Micaela Miranda and performed by an ensemble of graduates of The Freedom Theatre School. It was originally created in 2016, after extensive story-gathering in the communities engaged in The Freedom Theatre’s annual Freedom Ride. The play includes stories from Jenin refugee camp and city, Fasayel, Dheisheh refugee camp, Mufaqara and Gaza.
In a sarcastic, comic and tragic style, the actors create the space, characters and even the emotional spaces they live in, in a virtuoso play with their bodies in a very small stage – “as small as Palestine”.
PERFORMANCES
February 6, at 14:30 The Freedom Theatre, Jenin refugee camp
February 7, at 12:30 Al-Yamoun village
February 8, at 11:00 Arrabe village
February 9, at 11:00 The Freedom Theatre, Jenin refugee camp
February 12, at 15:00 Balata refugee camp
February 13, at 15:00 Zebabde village
February 14, at 17:00 Sayyda, Tulkarem
February 15, at 10:00 Salfit
February 19, at 12:00, Jericho
February 19, at 19:00 Ashtar Theatre, Ramallah
February 20, at 12:30 Bani Na’im
February 21, at 12:00 Aroub refugee camp
February 21, at 15:30 Yes Theatre, Hebron
February 22, at 15:30 Dura
February 23, at 11:00 Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, Aida refugee camp
February 23, at 15:00 Ibdaa Center, Dheisheh refugee camp
The performances will be followed by a discussion and workshop.
Performance times may be subject to minor changes. For location and performance details, please email info@thefreedomtheatre.org.
‘Return to Palestine’ was originally produced in 2016 as part of the project ‘Interactive theatre as a tool for social change’ implemented by The Freedom Theatre in partnership with Ashtar for Theatre Production and Training.
The 2016 performances of ‘Return to Palestine’ were funded by the Swedish Postcode Lottery and by Sida.
The 2017 performances of ‘Return to Palestine’ are funded by Sida and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture through the Palestinian Cultural Fund.
