The Traverse Theatre in Jordan
When the Bulbul Stopped Singing
When the Bulbul Stopped Singing was originally produced for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival and has since toured to Iran, American and now Jordan. The Traverse Theatre Company production of David Greig’s adapatation of the play by The Ebal Society was invited to appear at the Royal Cultural Centre, Amman, Jordan, from 23 to 25 March 2007.
Based on a book by acclaimed Palestinian author, activist and lawyer Raja Shehadeh’s, the play follows his experiences during the the spring of 2002, when the Israeli Army – the fourth most powerful in the world – invaded the West Bank city of Ramallah and laid siege to its people for one long month.
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Ramallah, known as the ‘Bride of Palestine’ for its heritage, internationalism, economy and vibrant mix of Christian and Muslim traditions, was devastated and many of its people killed. Like the rest of the city’s inhabitants, Raja Shehadeh was unprepared for the invasion. Trapped behind enemy lines but still in his own home, he draws a meticulous, quiet picture of sheer ordinariness fighting back. |
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'No one pretends this sort of theatre is easy, but in the packed and motionless audience , few can feel untouched by the poignant and profound drama inherent in the situations so elegantly conjured by Shehadeh’s still, small voice of calm.'
The Independent |
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Raja Shehadeh still lives in Ramallah with his wife Penny. He is the founder of the pioneering, non-partisan human rights organisation Al Haq, an affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists, and the author of several books about international law, human rights and the Middle East. His highly-praised memoir Strangers in the House documents his family’s flight from Jaffa in 1948 under the British Mandate, and has just been published in Hebrew for the first time. |
When the Bulbul Stopped Singing is a one man tour de force, performed by Christopher Simon. Christopher has also performed in other recent productions such as Poor Super Man, Traverse; Hamlet, Norwich Theatre; and Twelve Angry Men, Comedy Theatre.
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'Simon’s beautifully measured performance engages throughout the show’s 75 minutes and director Philip Howard’s uncluttered production lets the words speak for themselves.'
London Evening Standard |
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For more information, please visit the Traverse Theatre's website. | |