Jenin Freedom Theatre survives second arson attempt following production of Animal Farm

A Scene from Animal Farm

In the morning of April 15, 2009, an unknown individual set fire to The Freedom Theatre in Jenin Refugee Camp, Occupied Palestine. The main door of the theatre was completely burned, but the fire did not spread inside the building and the theatre remains largely unharmed.

For full article, visit http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=145

One month ago, when arsonists burned the Al-Kamanjati Society for Music in Jenin building to the ground, destroying thousands of dollars of instruments and equipment, a first attempt to set fire to the Freedom Theatre was also made.

For full article, visit http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37148

Animal Farm rankles the West Bank

George Orwell’s 1945 fictional satire of Stalinist Russia, Animal Farm, is being performed in the West Bank with a decidedly Palestinian twist.

Play has proved controversial

So why is the production proving so controversial?

Mr Raee says much of the anger stems from the choice of play – with its theme of revolutionaries imitating their oppressors.

Juliano Mer-Khamis, theatre director

But for Mr Mer-Khamis, the most present and immediate enemy is not Israel or Israeli troops.

Instead, he says, it is the unspoken restrictions Palestinian society imposes on those who want to challenge the Territories’ political leadership.

For full article, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7968812.stm

In one of the scenes, Molly, one of the horses, runs away from the farm. “The corruption here is worse than when Jones was in control,” says Molly.

The human who comes to talk business at the end of the play wears green army uniform and speaks Hebrew, a reference to the Israeli military.

“It is a thinly veiled attack on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its collaboration with Israel at the expense of Palestinian citizens,” adds Steti.

For full article, visit http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10468.shtml

Violence also affected artistic decisions. The theater initially selected “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” a satire of armed resistance by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, for the debut production.

But the play was shelved after someone smashed the window of Mer Khamis’ car. The cast worried that the play’s message would be ill-received after Israel’s recent offensive in the Gaza Strip, which killed some 1,400 Palestinians.

For full article, visit http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3693134,00.html