Khashabi Theatre is all about strong imagery and sensuous theatre. Their most recent play is based on the Arab Banū Hilāl Epic. Passed down by oral storytelling, it tells the tale of eleventh century Abu Zayd al-Hilali, who started out as a refugee child and became the most legendary Arab leader. Some say it takes up to 150 hours to recount the entire epic; it was placed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2008. The Palestinian, Haifa-based Khashabi Theatre uses breathtaking images to approach the Arab epic from a haunting contemporary perspective. Like their earlier works, this production is the result of extensive research and collaboration with artists from a range of disciplines: theatre being reinvented as performance brimming with music and lyricism! Theatre-makers Bashar Murkus and Khulood Basel place celebration at centre stage, celebrating the power of creating worlds by narration together with the audience.
Text, Concept, Direction Bashar Murkus With Abed Zuabi, Adan Rabos, Atallah Tannous, Maisan Miso Samara, Maya Omaya Keesh, Rana Barasni Scenography Majdala Khoury Dramaturgy Khulood Basel Composition Habib Hanna Live music Rami Nakhleh Music production, arrangements Khalil EPI Light design, Technical direction Muaz Al Jubeh Sound Moody Kablawi Puppets maker Vita Hleihil Dabke Dance Segment Choreography Samaa Wakim Assistance design, Stage management Nancy Mkaabal Production, Tour management Samera Kadry English translation Alice Yousef French translation Chakib Ararou
Production Khulood Basel - Khashabi Theatre Coproduction DE SINGEL - CARTA Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Cité internationale de la langue française, Théâtre des 13 vents, & Espoon Theatre, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya International distribution La Magnanerie
World premiere January 2026, DE SINGEL (Antwerpen)