The Bridge

By Alaa Shehada and Sam Beale

28 Oct to 11 Nov

Holloway Theatre (Bush Theatre's Main Space)

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About Cast & Creatives

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Details

Venue

Holloway Theatre (Bush Theatre's Main Space)

Dates

28 Oct to 11 Nov

Age Guidance

12+

Content Guidance

Self-care guide & content warnings

Price

£10.00 to £45.00

About

Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada returns following his heartfelt and hilarious Scotsman Fringe First winning debut, The Horse of Jenin.

Every year, Alaa’s mother sends a gift of separation from her home in Jenin to her sister in Amman. A container of olive oil made from his grandfather’s olive trees. And this year, as every year, Alaa is delivering it himself.

Carrying a large yellow container, he leaves his home alongside thousands of other Palestinians. To make this journey he must cross ‘the bridge’ in the heart of Jordan Valley – the only way Palestinians in the West Bank are permitted to leave or return home. But the container leaks, dripping oil throughout its journey through border crossings, Israeli occupation, and into Jordan.

The Bridge is 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. Writer and performer Alaa Shehada brings his high-energy mix of storytelling, stand-up and physical comedy to the story of his own journey, and the journeys of other travellers who join him on this bizarre road trip. Co-written with and directed by Sam Beale.

Presented by Palestine Comedy Club in association with Bush Theatre.

Cast & Creatives

Alaa Shehada

Writer & Performer

Alaa Shehada

Writer & Performer

Alaa Shehada is a Palestinian theatre maker whose work blends physical comedy, storytelling, 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 – Alaa’s award-winning performances amplify Palestinian experiences on global stages.

The Horse of Jenin, his “funny, haunting coming-of-age tale” (The Guardian) has received international critical acclaim. The show was awarded The Scotsman Fringe First Award and The Outwith Award for international talent at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2025, Alaa also joined comedian Bassem Youssef on stage and delivered a TEDx London talk alongside comedian Nish Kumar.

Alaa is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Palestine Comedy Club, a pioneering platform for Palestinian comedians to share their stories and culture.
Sam Beale

Co-writer & Director

Sam Beale

Co-writer & Director

Dr Sam Beale is a comedy director, writer, teacher and researcher. She regularly collaborates internationally with comedians, theatre companies and festivals to create comedy/theatre performances and facilitate comedy projects.

Sam is co-founder/co-artistic director of Palestine Comedy Club co-creating and touring comedy and theatre shows to share Palestinians’ stories internationally. She co-wrote The Horse of Jenin (2025), Alaa Shehada’s internationally acclaimed and Edinburgh Fringe First
Award winning solo show, and directed Sami Abu Wardeh’s award winning Palestine: Peace de Resistance (2025).

As founder/director of Funny Side Collective Sam also teaches stand-up comedy and solo performance practices and regularly writes and speaks internationally about socially engaged comedy. Recent publications include Beyond A Joke: comedy and social change in the UK (2026) and ‘You Can’t Stop a Girl from Thinking’ in Humour Across Victoriana (Routledge, 2025).
Micaela Miranda

Movement Director

Micaela Miranda

Movement Director
Julius Pollux Rothlaender

Composer & Sound Designer

Julius Pollux Rothlaender

Composer & Sound Designer
Lily Dawford

Lighting Designer

Lily Dawford

Lighting Designer

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

Producer

Palestine Comedy Club

Producer

Palestine Comedy Club (PalCom) is a comedy production company established in Palestine and the UK by Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada, UK comedy writer and director Sam Beale, and film producer Charlotte Knowles. Palestine Comedy Club works with Palestinian artists to co-create and tour stand-up and comedy/theatre shows, amplifying Palestinian voices internationally. The club also facilitates community workshops and programmes that teach stand-up skills throughout Palestine, enabling local people to share stories and explore the power of comedy as a form of cultural expression and resistance. An award-winning documentary about the project Palestine Comedy Club is currently touring internationally.