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Laughing to survive - On tour with the Palestine Comedy Club

Six Palestinian comedians go on tour in Israel and the Palestinian territories. What begins as a stand-up comedy show evolves, in the face of terror and war, into a plea for humanity. Although there are no comedy clubs -- and hardly any stand-up comedy -- in the Palestinian territories, comedian Alaa Shehada decides to found a stand-up comedy troupe, along with other local artists. Their goal? To develop a program that combines Western comedic traditions with Palestinian narrative forms, to perform in front of an audience. Despite cultural and security hurdles, the group’s six members—each holding a different travel permit—manage to stage a tour of theaters in the Palestinian territories and in Israel. The shows are well attended, and the group begins to gain attention, even internationally. Eventually, they receive an invitation to London for a series of performances. These are set to begin on, of all days, October 7, 2023.

English