City Strolls - events - meetings
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
From Palestine to Pollokshaws …….. Come to the Performance Bring a friend.
A group of 14 Palestinians, nine girls and five boys have just arrived in the UK and will be touring Scotland from the 5-17 August. Performing traditional dance merged with dramatic tragedy, youth from the largest refugee camp in the West Bank convey the pain and strength of Palestinian refugees from 1948 to the present.These young people come from a very disadvantaged background having been born and raised in an area of extreme poverty and military occupation. Mental health, depression, hopelessness, fear and broken dreams are all part of their daily lives and struggle for survival. Support these young people as they tour Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, by coming along to see them live at the
* Edinburgh Fringe 8 (2pm/7.30pm) & 9 (7.30pm) August - tickets from fringe box office, www.edfringe.com or Dave Hewitt davidhewitt@pchp.org.uk 0131 228 5459 / 07787 987 479
* Glasgow Pollokshaws Burgh Hall Thursday 11 August at 7pm.Tickets £5 and £3 available from Margaret Pacetta 07969 375854 or Iain (Glasgow South Side) 07976 718 111
* Dundee Meadowside St Pauls Tuesday 16 August at 7.30pm. Tickets from Julia Droeber julia.droeber@gmail.com 01382 908070 / 07913 800812
Background
Starting in Ireland, the group will take part in a Feile Festival as a central part of a Palestinian theme. From Derry the group will travel to Scotland, where they will perform at the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival and other venues. Performance in Wales, Exeter and London aim to bring Palestinian culture to people who might have forgotten that Palestine has a culture. Numerous cultural exchange forums and joint social outings will allow the children to meet with local youth and learn from one another.
Voices of the camp
Although the Israel/Palestine issue is fairly high-profile in the UK and Ireland, voices of camp residents remain marginalised. The "A'edoon" ~ We will Return ~ performance will offer a rare insight into and emotional connection with Palestinian lives, allowing the children to represent themselves not merely as victims but as a people continuing their struggle to endure.
Palestinian children’ own story
None of the children have ever left Palestine, and for many it will be their first time out of Nablus/Balata. Each child has his or her own story of despair, poverty and struggle; most have family members imprisoned or murdered.
A Voice through Performance The alleyways of Balata provide little respite and no means of dealing with trauma.
Performance has given these children a voice, a means to express their frustration, needs and resistance. Taking these kids on tour will further challenge their isolation and loneliness, giving them some hope in humanity and rebuilding their self-confidence. Being allowed to perform their art to foreign audiences and being appreciated for their skills will be one of the most amazing experiences these children have ever had.
About the Show
Originally based on Marcel Khalife’s ‘Ahmed Al-Arabi’, the "A'edoon" production chronicles the expulsion of Palestinians from their village and their ensuing oppression as refugees. Based out of the Yafa Cultural Centre, this innovative performance takes the audience through a rollercoaster of the extremes of human emotion - from pain and sadness, resentment and outrage, to laughter and finally inspiration and hope.
in solidarity,
balatacamp.net collective www.balatacamp.net
PS. Please circulate widely to all your friends and colleagues - we want to make sure the shows are sold out and reach as wide an audience as possible!!
Bob, 23:21
