During the curtain call of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” at London’s Royal Opera House, a significant and provocative moment unfolded when cast member Daniel Perry raised a Palestinian flag on stage. This act of protest, aimed at drawing attention to Palestinian suffering, saw Perry resist attempts by a stage technician to remove the flag. Perry, a queer dance artist trained at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, expressed deep disappointment in the silence emanating from the theatre community regarding the Palestinian conflict. He openly questioned the lack of support and action by industry producers, creatives, and artists, lamenting the absence of solidarity on platforms that hold considerable influence.

This incident underscores a broader tension within the arts sector concerning the representation and acknowledgment of Palestinian voices. While on one hand, individual artists like Perry have taken bold steps to highlight these issues, there is widespread criticism of institutional reticence. In December 2023, over a thousand artists, including high-profile names such as Olivia Colman, accused major UK arts institutions of censoring Palestinian perspectives. They highlighted a troubling pattern of silencing those advocating for Palestinian rights, calling for an end to such censorship and urging more open discourse within cultural spaces.

Parallel to these protests, other theatrical organisations have been actively engaging with Palestinian narratives through their work. Az Theatre, a London-based company founded in 2004, has been at the forefront of humanising Palestinian experiences through performance. Their project “GAZA: Messages & Images” features poignant monologues from Gaza residents, striving to create a nuanced understanding of life in a conflict zone. Since October 2023, in collaboration with Theatre for Everybody (Gaza), Az Theatre has held multiple public events across the UK and Italy, translating Hossam Madhoun’s writings into several languages to widen their reach. This partnership exemplifies sustained efforts within the arts to foster empathy and awareness for Palestinian realities, contrasting with the silence criticisers have pointed to.

Further institutional engagement with Palestinian theatre has been facilitated by venues like the Royal Court Theatre, which hosted a panel discussion titled “Palestinian Theatre Now” in July 2024. This event featured Palestinian theatremakers alongside UK-based playwrights, exploring the challenges faced in creating theatre under occupation and the role of the arts in resistance and dialogue. Such forums provide a critical platform for voices that might otherwise be marginalised and reflect ongoing attempts within the UK theatre scene to stimulate meaningful conversations about Palestine.

Meanwhile, support for Palestinian rights is also articulated through collective statements from theatre groups such as Noor Theatre. In October 2023, Noor issued a strong declaration mourning the loss of lives on both sides and condemning violence against civilians. They affirmed the necessity for Palestinian sovereignty and urged communities and artists alike to stand against actions resembling genocide and ethnic cleansing, underscoring the ethical dimension many theatre practitioners see in engaging with this conflict.

Overall, Daniel Perry’s act of unfurling the Palestinian flag at one of London’s premier cultural institutions has ignited renewed debate about the responsibilities and potential roles of the arts in political activism. It highlights both a frustration with widespread institutional silence and the existence of committed efforts within the artistic community to amplify Palestinian stories and resistance. Whether this moment sparks deeper change within the industry remains to be seen, but it undeniably spotlights the intersection of art, politics, and social justice in contemporary theatre.

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Source: Noah Wire Services