Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network – New Books in Middle Eastern Studies
Host: Tul Mende
Guest: Samer Al-Saber, Assistant Professor of Theater at Williams College
Topic: A Movement’s Promise: The Making of Contemporary Palestinian Theater (Stanford University Press, 2025)
Date: September 24, 2025

Overview

This episode features a conversation with Professor Samer Al-Saber about his new book, A Movement’s Promise: The Making of Contemporary Palestinian Theater. The discussion delves into the origins and evolution of Palestinian theater from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, exploring the movement’s cultural significance, its foundational figures, the challenges of archiving and sourcing, and its enduring legacy on contemporary Palestinian theater.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of Al-Saber’s Interest in Palestinian Theater

• Personal and Academic Beginnings
  • Al-Saber’s initial engagement came through his work as a director and later as a scholar during his PhD studies (02:37).
  • The documentary Arna’s Children was pivotal in inspiring him to study Palestinian theater academically, highlighting stories such as the Freedom Theater in Jenin.
  • “Before that, I was interested in Palestinian theater as a director, as a Palestinian myself, but not as an academic... that film prompted my interest as an academic.” (D, 03:14)

2. From Dissertation to Book – Defining the Movement

• The book began as a dissertation titled “Permission to Perform,” initially focused on interactions between theater artists and Israeli authorities (04:50).
• The project evolved to consider the broader, chronological story of Palestinian theater, inspired by discovering an anthology of plays and engagements with scholar Ibrahim Muhawi.
• “That idea of people coming together, forming a movement that moves forward through time, trying to make a difference, that’s when... the eventual book was going to be.” (D, 06:17)

3. Research Challenges and Sources

• Non-Existent Central Archive
  • Explained difficulties due to the lack of a state or centralized archive for Palestinian history (07:06).
• Alternative Sources
  • Relied on limited existing books in Arabic, newspaper reviews, and—most critically—personal archives of theater artists (07:42).
  • Obtained unique documents from the Israel State Archive showing the interplay between Palestinian theater groups and Israeli censorship authorities.
  • Conducted extensive oral history interviews, which proved foundational to the book’s narrative.
• “The greatest archive of all is the oral archive of the artists themselves. The interviews... were a personal growth opportunity for me, but also a great foundation for the information that is present in the book today.” (D, 10:14)

4. Key Figures in the Movement

• Listed significant names from the movement’s early period, including:
  • George Ibrahim, Francois Salem, Mustafa Kord, Emil Ashrawi, Adar I Tartir.
• Emphasized the older generation’s influence and encouraged readers to consult the acknowledgments for the full list (11:42).
• Discussed the theoretical influence of Ghassan Kanafani on the movement:
  • Kanafani’s work anticipated the experiential and intellectual transfer from Palestinians inside 1948 Israel to those in the occupied territories after 1967.
  • “There was a huge connection between leftists in the 48 occupied Palestine and the 67 occupied Palestine... an intellectual affinity that essentially set the ground for this movement.” (D, 14:02)

5. Defining Periodization and Political Context

• Periodization of the movement is largely agreed upon both by scholars and the artists themselves (17:15).
• Key historical moments:
  • 1967: The trauma of occupation as a catalyst for cultural activity.
  • 1970/Black September: Emergence of cultural/artistic “fronts” as alternative resistance.
• Theater became the preeminent channel for expressing, sustaining, and disseminating Palestinian political and cultural identity in the absence of other media (18:42).
• Notable theater troupes: El Faniye, Belalin, the Palestinian Theater (20:56).

6. Political and Cultural Themes of the Plays

• Explored the content and structure of salient plays:
  1. "The Darkness" (Belalin):
     • An immersive, participatory play symbolizing the collective struggle for liberation and the necessity of personal sacrifice (21:42).
     • “In the Darkness, every single person has to play their role. And there are sacrifices... but we also have to honor each other.” (D, 22:25)
  2. "Indel Luzum" / "When Necessary" (Palestinian Theater):
     • A play about divided loyalty—national versus familial.
     • “She chooses national loyalty and is willing to sacrifice her brother for the greater good.” (D, 23:08)
  3. The plays often addressed political, collective, and self-critical themes but were created and performed by tightly-knit ensembles—sometimes using actors’ real names as characters.

7. Legacy and Contemporary Impact

• The movement’s infrastructure, performance circuits, and philosophy persist in today’s Palestinian theater.
• Al-Saber’s own play Him and She, co-directed with Marina Johnson at Jerusalem’s Hakawati Theater, stands as a testament to this heritage (25:45).
• Many current theaters and troupes—such as Ashtar Theater, Al Kasaba, Al Hara, and Arouad Einad—are directly linked to the founding period.
• “Without these amazing people building this infrastructure in the 70s and 80s, we would not have this powerful theater movement today.” (D, 29:38)

8. What’s Next?

• Al-Saber shared his ongoing engagement with Palestinian theater and possible future projects:
  • Considering a new book about the Oslo period’s impact on theater (30:55).
  • Fieldwork from the Qatar World Cup may also become a new publication.
  • “I will always be connected to Palestinian theater in one way or another. I don’t have a choice in the matter.” (D, 30:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the archival process:
  “One of the things that I learned during my research was that there were a lot of applications that came out of Palestinian theater companies to the Israel Censorship office in West Jerusalem...these boxes essentially became the foundational archive for the relationship between the Palestinian theater artist and the Israeli authorities.” (D, 09:33)

• On the movement’s communal spirit:
  “The idea is we all have to do our part. We all have to sacrifice something, but we also have to honor each other.” (D, 22:25, referring to "The Darkness")

• On the modern legacy:
  “Without the work that was done in the 70s, the play I wrote and co-directed this past summer wouldn’t actually have a place to exist.” (D, 27:00)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:37 | Al-Saber’s background and his entry into Palestinian theater studies | | 04:50 | Transformation from dissertation to book; importance of movement concept | | 07:06 | Challenges and strategies in sourcing and archiving | | 11:42 | Influential early figures and the role of Ghassan Kanafani | | 17:15 | Periodization of the movement; shifting strategies post-1967 and Black September | | 21:42 | Analysis and summary of two representative plays | | 25:45 | Discussion of the movement’s legacy in the present day | | 30:55 | Al-Saber’s future projects and continued ties to Palestinian theater |

Tone & Style

Throughout the episode, the conversation is reflective and scholarly, grounded in personal anecdotes and clear, engaging examples. The tone is respectful and passionate, with Al-Saber keenly honoring the people and collective efforts behind the theater movement, while also acknowledging the structural and personal challenges inherent in documenting Palestinian history.

For those interested in the intersection of culture, politics, and resistance, this episode provides rich insights into the dynamic legacy of Palestinian theater and the enduring promise of its movement.