THE HORSE OF JENIN Comes to La MaMa in January

 La MaMa, in collaboration with GOH Productions and 55B Productions, proudly presents the U.S. premiere of The Horse of Jenin, written and performed by acclaimed Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada. A graduate of Jenin’s Freedom Theatre, which was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, Shehada brings this compelling and thought-provoking one-man show to The Club @ La MaMa following its sold-out world premiere in October in Amsterdam by Troupe Courage. The show will run from January 9–12, 2025, as part of the 20th Anniversary of the Under the Radar Festival, which features performances from 35 companies across 30+ venues worldwide.

Set against the backdrop of Jenin, Palestine, The Horse of Jenin tells the extraordinary story of a giant horse sculpturebuilt from the wreckage of bombed-out homes and cars in the aftermath of a 2002 invasion. Created by local Palestinians in collaboration with German artist Thomas Kilpper, the sculpture stood as a symbol of freedom and resilience, commemorating an ambulance destroyed during the First Intifada while transporting the wounded. Positioned at the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp, the horse became a community landmark—until it was unceremoniously removed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2023.

As the region continues to experience conflict and upheaval, The Horse of Jenin offers a deeply personal perspective on the enduring impact of war and occupation. Through moments of comedy and heartbreak, Shehada transforms his memories into a story that reflects both the fragility and strength of the human spirit. In this solo performance, Shehada blends humor, personal stories, and fragments of memory to explore the horse’s fate. Did it resist? Was it arrested? Did it tell stories about the people it represented? Using theatrical imagination, Shehada rebuilds the horse as a towering metaphor for resistance, resilience, and the power of collective memory.

Through vivid scenes of daily life in Palestine, Shehada invites audiences into his life—from childhood in Jenin, where his grandfather gifted him a toy horse as a symbol of freedom, to the tragedies and triumphs of growing up in a war-torn region. The narrative includes the loss of his Best Friend Ahmed, his first love thwarted by military checkpoints, and his journey of self-discovery through art and performance.

"Why now?” asks Shehada. “It’s vital to tell the Palestinian story, especially with the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Palestinian voices need to be heard to educate the world about life under Occupation and share the daily realities of our people,” he continues. “Through comedy, I aim to counter stereotypes and offer a human, relatable portrayal that challenges negative narratives in mainstream media. The Horse of Jenin is not just a story; it’s a symbol of our struggle and freedom—our version of the Statue of Liberty. It represents resilience and resistance, and as Palestinians, it’s our responsibility to share what freedom means to us and expose what is happening in our homeland.”

“Alaa Shehada’s deeply personal and inventive storytelling captures the heart of what it means to resist not only oppression but despair itself,” says co-director Katrien van Beurden. “This show is a testament to the power of art to transform trauma into beauty and solidarity.”

With humor and heart, The Horse of Jenin reminds us that even amidst the rubble of loss, the human spirit has the capacity to rebuild, resist, and reimagine a brighter future.

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