Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah

UK PREMIERE 

Palestinian theatre company Khashabi Theatre reimagines an epic poem with physical theatre and live music.

The legendary poem Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah (The Epic of Bani Hilal) has been passed down from generation to generation since the 14th century. Once widespread across the Middle East, it is now only performed in Egypt and is at risk of extinction.  

Khashabi Theatre creators Bashar Murkus and Khulood Basel couldn’t find any evidence of a Palestinian version, so they chose to merge the myth with the aesthetics of Palestinian folklore and Arab performance styles.

Rejecting European theatrical norms, this exhilarating retelling merges physical theatre with poetry, live music, puppetry and dance. Murkus and Basel’s unique theatrical works are informed by extensive research and seek to ask questions of humanity – from within Palestine and beyond. 

Performed in Arabic with English surtitles