In the Shadow of the House of Redemption: A Story of Palestinian Political Theatre

Abstract

Preface: Letter from the AuthorDear Reader,This thesis takes an experimental approach to the study of contemporary Palestinian political theater. The writing occurs in different registers and citationary styles, words are defined multiple times, characters introduced repeatedly, and theaters, spaces, places, and other inanimate objects and concepts given life. Where possible, I have attempted to tell the thesis as a story using accessible language. First and foremost, this means using the language with which people identify themselves. The thesis is meant to be read in English, and should be accessible in some way to anyone who speaks English, though it is also preoccupied with Arabic, shot through with Hebrew, and makes repeated references to French, German, Latin, and their associated literatures and cultures. To a casual (and non-grading!) reader, I would suggest starting with the Introduction, and picking sections and chapters to read based on the description of the structure, as those units can be read either as parts of a whole or as independent sections. My own voice is a strong presence throughout, and is most identifiable in moments when I use literary or theatrical metaphor. Part of the experiment has been trying to tell the story of Palestinian theater as just that – a story, full of characters, settings, stages, and plot devices, some of which deceive. It is up to you, reader, to determine whether it has succeeded. With Love and In Solidarity, Daniel