On March 6, Return to Palestine will begin the second leg of its West Bank tour with a performance at Al Quds University in Abu Dis. Performances at Birzeit University and in villages and towns in occupied Palestine will follow in March and April.
In February alone, close to 2000 youths and adults in sixteen villages, towns and refugee camps from Hebron in the south to Al Yamoun in the north saw Return to Palestine. For many it was their first theatre experience. The response was overwhelmingly positive, which testifies to the quality of the play as well as the need for more cultural experiences in occupied Palestine.
“This show changed my mind: the stories that you tell and doing everything in a small space gave me hope that we can liberate Palestine through theatre and art. I will tell all my friends, I will continue to defend our cause, thank you, thank you.” Rima, audience member in Jericho
“This work is amazing, very detailed, in it you have all different kind of feelings: the play makes you smile, laugh, cry, think, imagine.” Anas, audience member in Ramallah
“I can’t thank you more for what you have done for us. This performance was amazing: it was very emotional but also very important.” Father of Malek (martyr who is featured in the play), Dheisheh refugee camp
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.
The play is directed by Micaela Miranda and performed by an ensemble of graduates of The Freedom Theatre School. In a sarcastic, comic and tragic style, the actors create the physical and emotional spaces they live in, on a very small stage – as small as Palestine.
Return to Palestine 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.
PERFORMANCES
AL QUDS UNIVERSITY
Monday, March 6 at 11:00am
Poetry hall, Abu Dis Campus
AL JALAMEH
Tuesday, March 7 at 11:30am
Municipality hall
YAABAD
Saturday, March 11
Municipality hall
BIRZEIT UNIVERSITY
Wednesday, March 15 at 12:00
University theatre
JENIN REFUGEE CAMP
Tuesday, April 4, at 13:00
The Freedom Theatre
