The Birth of Return to Palestine play: A Journey Through Stories
- thecircleworkshops
- May 8
- 5 min read
Updated: May 9
In theatre, there exists a universal language that transcends borders and time itself - the language of stories. At the Freedom Theatre, for years, we embarked on the unique theatrical journey across the Occupied West Bank, using Playback Theatre - a form brought to The Freedom Theatre by Ben Rivers, created by Jo Salas and Jonathan Fox. Through this powerful methodology, we not only formed our own troupe but trained our student actors in its transformative techniques.
Our approach was simple yet revolutionary: we would arrive in communities - Faqqua, Fassayel, Massafer Yatta, Bil'in, Dheisha Camp, Aida Camp, Hebron, Jenin, Tulkarem - with no prepared script, only a promise: "We are actors, we did not prepare a play. Tell us your stories and we will play them back to you."
But within this simplicity lay a profound truth - when stories are shared, they become bridges between hearts, between communities, between worlds. Telling and listening to stories, using voice, movement, acting and live music, we practiced the celebration of Palestinian identity and its resilience.
We would work all year to prepare our Spring Freedom Bus Ride, taking audiences and stake holders on a ride through the communities we worked with. Endorsers of the Freedom Bus included Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis, Judith Butler, John Berger, Peter Brook, Omar Barghouti, Ramy Essam, Maya Angelou and Mairead Maguire. (For a full list of endorsers, click here)
What we discovered went beyond mere narratives - we found ourselves immersed in a woven "tatreez" (embroidery) where existence itself becomes resistance. These weren't just stories being told; they were threads that would come from the heart of the teller and woven into a new teller with a new story that would speak to the first. A beautiful weave of resistance, each one a thread in the larger tapestry of Palestinian identity.
We encountered gut-wrenching and heartwarming stories of "Sumoud" against an ever growing zionist occupying force. As witnesses to this resilience, we felt privileged to be entrusted with these narratives, but we knew we could do more. We could weave a thread of dialogue between communities, each resisting in their unique way.
The turning point came during The Freedom Bus ride of 2016. We evolved our approach: after each playback theatre gathering, we would carefully select one story that captured "the heart" of that community, crafting it into a small performance to share with the next village. And so, in April 2016, Return to Palestine was born - community by community, story by story.
The dramaturgy emerged organically: a Palestinian from the diaspora returning to his land for the first time. This framework arose because in every story, every community, we could feel and hear the yearning of a fragmented Palestine wanting to be together. All stories echoed a calling to Palestinians in exile, in prison, in martyrdom: Return, return to Palestine, so it can be whole again.
Whilst writing in space we were deeply inspired by Ghassan Kanafani's writings and his passion for telling stories of Palestinian identity. His political consciousness and lived experience brought a clarity and deep power to his stories, illuminating the displacement, injustice, ethnic cleansing and genocide of his people. Return to Palestine carries forward this tradition of bearing witness through narrative and this same passion of giving voice to the stories untold, that need to be heard.
Since its creation, Return to Palestine has traveled far beyond the villages where its stories were first shared. The production has been performed in theatres and community halls across the globe, touching audiences with its authentic portrayal of Palestinian life and resistance. Its universal themes resonated so deeply that Scrapyard Theatre in India, under the direction of Savan Zalarya, adapted the work for their own context and looking at Palestine in our times, proving the borderless nature of its message.
Since its creation, Return to Palestine has proven that stories know no boundaries in their impact. When Scrapyard Theatre in India adapted the work, it confirmed what we always believed - that these stories speak in the universal language of human experience. Whether performed in community halls or prestigious theatres, these shared experiences continue to resonate, touching audiences with their authentic portrayal of life, resistance, and the eternal human spirit.
The play's impact was formally recognized when it won Best Theatre Performance at the inaugural Palestine National Theatre Festival in 2018. Today, as we prepare to present Return to Palestine at Teatro Technis in London as part of the Shubbak Festival 2025, we remain committed to this methodology of community-based theatre creation.
We continue to train new generations in these techniques, ensuring that more stories of resistance and resilience can be shared, one community at a time.
Our deepest gratitude goes to all who have contributed to Return to Palestine's journey. Special recognition to the original cast who helped create and shape the play through their artistry during those transformative journeys across the West Bank in 2016: Ihab Talahmeh, Grainnemir Abu Alrob, Osama al Azza, Samah Mahmoud, Ibrahim Moqbel and Ranin Odeh. Their pioneering work laid the foundation for what this play would become.
We extend our appreciation to all the talented performers who have since taken on these roles - many stepping in when others could not travel due to the severe visa restrictions imposed on Palestinian artists. These performers have carried these stories forward, ensuring they continue to be heard around the world despite the systemic barriers that often prevent Palestinian artists from telling their own stories.
We are proud to present our current cast at Teatro Technis: Grainnemir Abu Alrob, Osama Al Azza, Motaz Malhees, Alaa Shehada, Sofia Asir, and Ameena Adileh.
As we prepare to bring Return to Palestine to Theatro Technis in London for the Shubbak Festival 2025, we carry with us not just stories, but the collective embroidery of communities whose voices deserve to echo across the world. Through theatre, these personal narratives transform into universal truths, proving that storytelling remains our most powerful tool for understanding, connection, and transformation.
Special thanks to Nabil Al-Raee and Ahmed Massoud for their dramaturgical support and to Matthew Wernham for his assistant direction during the Freedom Bus ride of 2016.
Their contributions helped shape and strengthen the narrative that emerged from our community gatherings.
We extend our profound gratitude to Mustafa Sheta, The Freedom Theatre's producer, whose unwavering commitment to the arts as resistance shines through in every aspect of his work. Upon his release from 18 months of Israeli imprisonment, one of his first priorities was ensuring that our production would represent the theatre with the highest professional standards, continuing to break down the walls between Jenin refugee camp and the world. His dedication embodies the spirit of cultural resistance that Return to Palestine strives to share.
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