For a Palestinian


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13th September – 1st October 2022 | Camden People’s Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PY

 

13th –16th October 2022 | Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED

 

Press Night: Thursday 15th September, 7pm at Camden People’s Theatre

 

 

 

After captivating audiences during its sold-out performances last year, For a Palestinian returns for its first full-length run at Camden People’s Theatre this September before heading to Bristol Old Vic in October. Exploring heritage, identity and the places we call home, up-and-coming talents Aaron Kilercioglu (CICADA 3301, Underbelly; Boundless Accelerator Artist) and Bilal Hasna (Extraordinary, Disney+; Screw, Channel 4) have collaborated to create this heart- warming piece based on Hasna’s own experience and the untold life of Palestinian activist Wa’el Zu’aiter.

 

Co-writers Aaron Kilercioglu and Bilal Hasna comment, More than any play we've ever worked on, For A Palestinian addresses our world today. While tackling the injustices faced by the Palestinian people, the play centres joy, humour, and perseverance. Whilst the story is specifically Palestinian, For A Palestinian speaks to the kind of feelings anyone who's ever left their home feels: the confusion, fear, joy, and hope of living in the diaspora.

 

Of the production Ben Jamal, Chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, comments, An astonishingly powerful play with a mesmeric performance from Bilal Hasna. He is an important young Palestinian voice who deserves a wide audience.

 

Through focusing on Zu’aiter’s little known story, For a Palestinian asks what it means to be a Palestinian in the diaspora, and what to do with that complex connection to Palestine in spite of geographical, cultural and emotional distance. The play explores memory, identity, and love, whilst challenging stereotypical notions of what the life of a Palestinian can involve and centring joy, humour, perseverance and achievement in the face of constant adversity.

 

This thrilling production will be produced by WoLab’s Creative Director Alistair Wilkinson (ENG- ER-LAND, UK tour; RAINER, Arcola Theatre) with lighting design by Ros Chase (Dick Whittington, Phoenix Theatre; In The Heat of That Night, The Space), with further creatives to be announced. The playscript will also be published by Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury.

 

The production is partnering with P21 Gallery, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Na’amod and Bristol’s Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre. There will be a supporting programme including workshops, talks and events at P21 Gallery, alongside using CPT’s space to showcase artists from the Arab diaspora’s work in an exhibition form.

 

 

 

WoLab

 

WoLab is a working laboratory for artists to create. They provide performance makers of all experiences with the opportunity to have a go. WoLab trains, mentors, nurtures and creatively entitles artists, helping them discover and refine their talents, and then showcases those talents to the industry. Current work in development includes: ENG-ER-LAND by Hannah Kumari, touring to 30+ venues throughout Spring/Summer 2022; For A Palestinian by Bilal Hasna and Aaron Kilercioglu, returning to Camden People’s Theatre in Autumn 2022, before transferring to Bristol Old Vic; Screwdriver by Eve Cowley and Elin Schofield, recently workshopped with Sheffield Theatres and Sheffield Royal Society For the Blind, heading on tour in 2023; A nightmare is witchwork by Billie Collins; In the Net by Misha Levkov; A Romantic Comedy by Tiwa Lade; TIGER by Tom Kelsey; Ostrich by Alistair Wilkinson; and The Director’s Development Fund, in partnership with Hannah Joss and Stage Director’s UK. Past work includes: RAINER (Arcola Theatre - Off-West End Nominated); First Commissions (Paines Plough); The Actor-Writer Programme (Theatre N16/Bunker Theatre); Man-Cub (RADA/King’s Head); PlayList (King’s Head); happy ever after? (Bunker Theatre); and R&D’s of heavymetalsexyanimal by Sam Rees (Theatre Deli); Asperger’s Children by Peter Machen (Trinity Laban); and We’ll Be Who We Are by Naomi Obeng.

 

 

Camden People’s Theatre

 

Founded 28 years ago, Camden People’s Theatre is one of Britain’s most influential studio theatres. Its mission is to champion different ways of thinking about the world by supporting emerging artists making adventurous theatre – particularly about issues that matter to people now. Its work is rooted in the communities of Camden and London. Through it, they celebrate the bold, the spirited and the unconventional.

 

 

Bristol Old Vic

 

Bristol Old Vic is the longest continuously running theatre in the UK and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016. The historic playhouse aims to inspire audiences with its own original productions, both at home and on tour, whilst nurturing the next generation of artists, whether that be through their 350-strong Young Company, their many outreach and education projects or their trailblazing artist development programme, Bristol Ferment. They prioritise their public funding to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it, or be able to afford it, and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated.

 

Bristol Old Vic’s 2018 redevelopment transformed its front of house into a warm and welcoming space for all of Bristol to enjoy, created a new studio theatre and opened up its unique theatrical heritage to the public for the first time. Since the March 2020 lockdown, the theatre completely reimagined a digital version of itself, experimented with streamed performances available globally, maintained links with their most vulnerable participants and welcomed live audiences during the moments when restrictions were lifted. Now, once again, Bristol Old Vic is thrilled to be able to throw open its doors and welcome back audiences both physically and digitally as it looks towards the future.

 

 

All enquiries, high res images and further information:

Caitlin Plimmer, Chloé Nelkin Consulting

E: caitlin@chloenelkinconsulting.com, T: 020 3627 2960

W: www.chloenelkinconsulting.com

 

 

 

Notes to Editors

 

Title: For a Palestinian

 

Dates:

Tuesday 13th – Saturday 17th September 2022

Tuesday 20th – Saturday 24th September 2022

Tuesday 27th September – Saturday 1st October 2022

 

Location Camden People’s Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY

 

How to Get There The nearest underground stations are Warren Street (Victoria and Northern lines), Euston Square (Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines) or Euston Station (Victoria and Northern lines). Euston Square is step-free between the street and platform levels. There are bus stops just outside of the theatre, approx. 100m down the road towards Warren Street station.

 

Times Tuesday – Saturday, 7pm

 

Running: Time 75 minutes

 

Box Office:

Standard tickets are £12 and concession rates at £10.

Purchase is available from the box office on 020 7407 0234 or by booking online at

https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/For-a-Palestinian

 

Dates: Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th October 2022

 

Location: Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED

 

Times: Thursday to Saturday, 8pm

 

Age Guidance and Notes: 12+. Mentions of racism, violence, death

 

Written by: Bilal Hasna (he/him) and Aaron Kilercioglu (he/him)

Directed by: Aaron Kilercioglu (he/him)

Performed by: Bilal Hasna (he/him)

Lighting Design: Ros Chase (she/her)

Sound Design: Holly Khan (she/her)

Set Design: Jida Akil (she/her)

 

Poster: CIWA Design

 

For WoLab:

Creative Director: Alistair Wilkinson (they/them)

Associate Director: Kaleya Baxe (she/her)

 

Twitter @WoLaboratory, @CamdenPT, @BristolOldVic, #ForAPalestinian

 

Instagram @WoLaboratory, @camdenpeoplestheatre, @bristololdvic1776, #ForAPalestinian