Palestine Comedy Club (PalCom)
Alaa Shehada - The Bridge
2027
A very human tale of family and connection, hope and joy, set against the brutal truths of the impacts of colonialism and the broken promises of the British in Palestine
Following the success of The Horse of Jenin, Palestinian actor, comedian and two times Fringe First winner Alaa Shehada is premiering in the Netherlands with The Bridge. The Bridge is a new solo show inspired by a journey made by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians every year, the only route Palestinians in the West Bank have to the outside world.
Premiering at the Bellevue Theatre on the 2 & 3 of January, the production combines storytelling, stand-up, physical comedy and theatre to tell the story of a trip from Alaa’s home in Jenin in the occupied West Bank to neighbouring Jordan.
At the centre of the journey is a large yellow container of olive oil from his family’s annual harvest. Packed by his mother in Jenin and destined for her sister in Amman, the gift accompanies Alaa as he travels through a series of Palestinian, Israeli occupation and Jordanian checkpoints known collectively as ‘the bridge’ – the only route through which Palestinians living in the West Bank can leave and return home.
Inspired by his own experiences, The Bridge uses humour, vivid storytelling and a cast of memorable characters to explore what this crossing means to the people who make it every day. Along the way, Alaa reflects on family, belonging and the simple hope that one day Palestinians might be able to travel freely through an airport of their own.
The show follows the success of The Horse of Jenin, which won a Fringe First Award in 2025 and returning to Edinburgh, to win the Fringe First Award again in 2026, following a sold-out run and widespread critical acclaim. Like its predecessor, The Bridge focuses on everyday life rather than political rhetoric, finding warmth, absurdity and humanity in the experiences of ordinary people.
The Bridge forms part of a wider programme presented by Palestine Comedy Club, which showcases Palestinian voices through comedy, theatre and storytelling.
Touring list
2 January 2027 – Bellevue, Amsterdam
3 January 2027 – Bellevue, Amsterdam
22 January 2027 – Chassé Theatre, Breda
21 September 2027 – Stadsschouwburg, Utrecht
22 September 2027 – Schouwburg, Tilburg
23 September 2027 – Parktheater, Eindhoven
24 September 2027 – Junushoff, Wageningen
Text & performance: Alaa Shehada
Co-writing & direction: Sam Beale
Movement direction: Micaela Miranda
Music and sound design: Julius Pollux Rothlaender
Lighting design: Lily Dawford
Production: Palestine Comedy Club
Poster Photography & Trailer: Regash
A Word from Alaa Shehadaa
“Every Palestinian knows the bridge. It is a place of waiting, frustration, reunions, goodbyes and hope. For some people, it represents freedom, for others, separation. It is the place where journeys begin and end.
“The olive oil I carry in the show is something very ordinary, but it represents so much more. It’s family, memory, home and connection. The Bridge is ultimately about people and the things that bind us together, even when we are separated by borders and distance.
“After the response to The Horse of Jenin, I wanted to tell another story that audiences may never have encountered before, but one that is instantly recognisable in its themes of family, belonging and the desire to stay connected to the people we love.”
About the creators
Alaa Shehada (Playwright, Actor, Comedian) is a Palestinian theatre maker whose work blends physical comedy, stand-up, and mask performance. A graduate of The Freedom Theatre Acting School in Jenin Refugee Camp – an institution nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024 – Shehada uses humor and storytelling to amplify Palestinian experiences on global stages.
His critically acclaimed solo show The Horse of Jenin offers a moving and humorous reflection on his upbringing in Jenin and has been performed internationally. A two times Scotsman Fringe First Award winner for The Horse of Jenin and his new play The Bridge. Along with The Outwith Award for international talent and the Best International Show at Oslo Fringe 2026. In 2025, he joined comedian Bassem Youssef on stage and delivered a TEDx London alongside comedian Nish Kumar. Alaa is the co-founder of the Palestine Comedy Club, a pioneering platform for Palestinian comedians to share their stories and culture.
Dr. Sam Beale is a comedy director, researcher, writer and teacher who works with comedians, solo performers and theatre/circus companies to develop comedy material, direct comic performances and script shows. For over 25 years she has taught comedy and solo performance practices in Higher Education in the UK and facilitated collaborative socially engaged comedy projects in a range of international contexts. She is director of Funny Side Collective, co-founder/co-artistic director of Palestine Comedy Club (PalCom), and has worked with Alaa Shehada since 2017, creating and touring comedy shows in Palestine and the UK. Sam also researches and writes about the history and practice of comedy for academic publications and speaks about comedy and social change at international conferences. She is the author of The Comedy & Legacy of Music Hall Women 1880-1920: Brazen Impudence and Boisterous Vulgarity (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) and is currently working on a book about socially engaged comedy projects around the world (Routledge, 2026).
Julius Pollux Rothlaender (*1988, Lübeck/Germany) is a musician and composer based in Iceland, mainland Europe and elsewhere. Alongside his solo and band projects he also works on music for film, art installations, performances, and radio.
With listening being his most important instrument, Julius Pollux has over the last years been diving into experiments that combine music and spoken word, exploring other elements of the human voice, of expression and contemplation within music.
Lily Dawford is a London-based lighting designer (and fool) whose work has taken them from Edinburgh Fringe to the West End and back, with more than a few international escapades along the way. Lily studied at Goldsmiths, University of London where their love of all things beautifully strange was solidified. They thrive on creating work that pushes the boundaries of conventional design to build powerful, thought provoking spaces.
They have worked as a lighting designer for productions such as Classic Penguins (Garry Starr); ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (Julia Masli); Weer (Natalie Palamides); Philosophy of the World (In Bed With My Brother); CAttS , Body Show (Frankie Thompson); Body Show, Swarm , Jack the Mack (Liv Ello); Inside Everyone (Adrian Bliss); Stamptown, Jack Tucker (Zach Zucker/Stamptown Comedy).
Palestine Comedy Club
Founded to create space for Palestinian artists to tell their own stories on stage and screen, Palestine Comedy Club (PalCom) has grown internationally through touring productions, comedy and documentary work, helping reshape how Palestinian stories are seen and heard by audiences around the world.
More information can be found here: https://www.palestinecomedyclub.com/