Palestine Comedy Club

Palestinian comedian Alaa Shehada, who is also successful abroad, forms a stand-up comedy troupe with local artists. The group is made up of Palestinian men and women of varied ages from around the country: the Golan Heights, Hebron, Ramallah, Jenin, and Haifa.

With infectious enthusiasm and self-deprecating humor, the six comedians put together a theater show and travel to cities across Palestine and Israel. Walls and checkpoints separate one territory from the other. This fragmentation is reflected in the differing travel privileges accorded to each troupe member and in the diverse cultures that have developed in the region—the group confronts unique sensitivities at each place they perform. When it comes to humor, where are the boundaries?

The show receives so much acclaim that a festival in London invites the group to perform there. Tragically, their first performance falls on 7 October 2023. The violence that erupts on that day heightens tensions within the group, and each member deals with the consequences in their own way.