Theatrical Performance and the Israel-Palestine Conflict

The theatrical world in Israel and Palestine reflects the profound divisions in the ongoing political conflict between the two sides. But it also offers a way of understanding, challenging, and resisting those divisions. Examining a wide range of plays by Israeli, Palestinian, and western writers, this book is the first comprehensive exploration of how the conflict has been represented on stage. Drawing on postcolonial theory, Azza Harras examines the ways both sides portray contested events such as the establishment of the state of Israel and the events of 1948 (or 'Nakba' - 'catastrophe' in Palestinian terminology); and the Intifada as resistance or terrorism all the while making comparisons between Palestinian and Jewish diaspora and exile, within the paradigm of theatrical performance. She reveals both the power of language as a means of constructing and resisting historical narratives, and how drama also serves as a forum for self-criticism. The first sustained study of its kind, this book will be essential reading for scholars of Postcolonial Studies, Middle East Studies and the performing arts.