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A Palestinian Theatre: Experiences of Resistance, Sumud and Reaffirmation

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A PALESTINIAN THEATRE: EXPERIENCES OF RESISTANCE, SUMUD AND REAFFIRMATION Mahmoud Abusultan A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2021 Committee: Angela Ahlgren, Advisor Jonathan Chambers © 2021 Mahmoud Abusultan All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Angela Ahlgren, Advisor This thesis examines Palestinian theatre practices in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Diaspora. Focusing on how theatre-makers within these contexts represent the Palestinian experience in relation to the ongoing Israeli settler-colonialism, I seek to offer a fuller definition of Palestinian theatre and highlight its different features. As non-violent resistance is a defining aspect of Palestinian artistic expression, I draw on a number of supporting theories to analyze how Palestinian theatre practitioners respond to the Israeli colonial practices as well as reflect on the ever-shifting socio-political realities of the Palestinian society. I begin by contextualizing the work of five major theatre companies in the West Bank and the creative tactics through which they contribute to the Palestinian culture of resistance, building on the work of Gabriel Varghese. I then introduce the concepts of sumud (steadfastness) and identity reaffirmation in an attempt to include theatre-makers in Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Diaspora. Throughout, I examine a number of plays and performances in relation to these concepts to demonstrate how Palestinians confront the conditions under which they live, while striving to preserve their cultural heritage. In doing so, I broaden the conversation on Palestinian theatre and the Palestinian context of non-violent resistance and what is at stake in how it is performed. iv I dedicate this thesis to my family for their constant love and support. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Angela Ahlgren, for her guidance throughout this process and her continual support of my work. I would also like to thank Dr. Jonathan Chambers for being on my committee, and for his key contributions to the conceptualization of this thesis. In addition, I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my friends, Ramadan Al- Nirab and Mahmoud El-Belpeisi, for their kindness and words of encouragement as well as their sincere belief in this project. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION: THE QUESTION OF PALESTINIAN THEATRE ................................. 1 Existing Narratives on Theatre in Palestine .................................................................. 2 Defining Palestinian Theatre......................................................................................... 7 Chapter Divisions.......................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER I. THEATRE OF RESISTANCE IN THE WEST BANK .................................... 11 Al-Kasaba Theatre ........................................................................................................ 14 Ashtar Theatre ............................................................................................................... 18 Al-Rowwad ................................................................................................................... 20 Al-Harrah Theatre ......................................................................................................... 22 The Freedom Theatre .................................................................................................... 25 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER II. SPECTACLES OF SUMUD IN GAZA STRIP ................................................ 30 Is There Theatre in Gaza Strip? .................................................................................... 34 The Palestinian Split ..................................................................................................... 38 Al-Habl Al-Sori (The Umbilical Cord) ......................................................................... 39 Al-Qafas (The Cage) ..................................................................................................... 43 Sabe’a Ard (Seven Grounds Under) ............................................................................. 46 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER III. RE-AFFIRMING THE PALESTININ EXPERIENCE ON THE DISAPORIC STAGE: AN EXPLORATION OF TENNIS IN NABLUS AND PLAN D ............................... 51 The Palestinian Experience of Diaspora ....................................................................... 51 Tennis in Nablus ........................................................................................................... 55 vii Plan D ........................................................................................................................... 60 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 65 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 67 WORKS CITED ....................................................................................................................... 69 1 INTRODUCTION: THE QUESTION OF PALESTINIAN THEATRE Palestinian theatre is a complex term that resists simple or easy definition. Aside from the relatively scant research on the topic, and the maddening lack of documentation, it is a cultural practice, much like the country itself, under constant questioning of its validity as well as continuous accusations of absence and non-existence. The extant scholarship mainly addresses a phenomenon in Palestinian self-representation termed Cultural Resistance.1 Focusing on performing groups in the West Bank and, very occasionally, theatre-makers in the Diaspora, scholarly attention in this vein is devoted to placing the Palestinian theatre activity within the context of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ways in which non-violent resistance is imagined and performed. Therefore, the examined performances usually mark a double-tiered approach to political intervention; not only do they comment on the issues of Palestinian national politics, but they also attempt to combat the hegemonic processes carried out by Israeli settler-colonialism. This study begins with tracking the art of non-violent resistance in the West Bank, and then seeks to compare it with staging the Palestinian experience in two different contexts—Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Diaspora. I accordingly introduce the notion of sumud (steadfastness) to help contextualize the theatrical enterprise in Gaza Strip, and in turn identity reaffirmation for those Palestinians creating theatre outside of Palestine. In an endeavor to better understand the nature of Palestinian self-representation on stage, this research project provides an overview of those three concepts—resistance, sumud and identity re-affirmation—by critically engaging with the conversation on Palestinian theatre and its definition. By and large, I ask: What would a 1 For an insightful analysis of this trend, see, for example, Salih, Ruba, and Sophie Richter- Devroe, “Culture of Resistance in Palestine And Beyond: On the Politics of Art, Aesthetics, and Affect,” The Arab Studies Journal, Spring 2014, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 8-27. 2 fuller definition of Palestinian theatre involve? What is the role/function of Palestinian theatre in the West Bank, in Gaza Strip, and in the Palestinian Diaspora? And what are the stakes of performing the Palestinian experience in each of these contexts? The goal is to offer a more rounded view of Palestinian theatre and to expand and nuance any available definition. After the 1948 Nakba, Palestinians were scattered across different territories inside and outside their land. As a consequence, their cultural activity, particularly theatre, has gone through multiple phases of disruption and revival. Therefore, one of the objectives I pursue is to provide a review of literature and theatrical practices in relation to the Palestinian experience and a conceptual examination of the resulting artistic re-configurations. In particular, the thesis aims at multiple sub-objectives: to offer a brief historical overview of Palestinian theatre and its development; to offer a review of some particular sources and characteristics of Palestinian theatrical movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; to develop an intellectual map that would help navigate the Palestinian theatrical activity; and finally, to aid in the task of defining and establishing the genre of Palestinian drama. My hope is that this study proves valuable to scholars and practitioners interested in Palestinian theatre and its different aspects. Existing Narratives on Theatre in Palestine Most of the extant studies indicate that Palestinians did not practice Western-style theatre until the late nineteenth century, or perhaps the early twentieth century.2 During those early days, European missionary schools, along with visiting Arab troupes (notably Egyptian), had a 2 Some of the most referenced accounts in this regard include: Jacob Landau’s Studies in the Arab Theater and Cinema (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1958), Nasri Al-Jawzi’s Tarikh al- Masrah Al-Filastini 1918–1948 [History
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