Theatre For Everybody
Theatre for Everybody started as an independent organisation in 1997, although the group's members had previous experience in theatre in Gaza. As their name suggests, the group's central focus has been to bring theatre to all of the people in the Palestinian territories and to focus on children in order to build and educate an audience for future generations. Theatre for Everybody has pioneered in bringing forum theatre and children's dramatherapy techniques to Gaza. They seek to consider questions of social problems and social change in everyday dialogue through theatre.
The trope works in many capacities across Gaza and internationally, and often targets marginalised communities in the Occupied Territories. They have worked with women and Bedouin communities, staging performances that explore women's rights and women's health, sometimes with little or no theatre infrastructure. Their plays have been performed in community centres, basements, houses and other small spaces. However, the group remain committed to staging performances in community spaces, because surrounding conditions (checkpoints, blockades, etc.) make it necessary to bring theatre to people who cannot travel easily.
Theatre for Everybody does plays that are inspired by the political situation, but shies away from direct expressions of politics or occupation. Instead, the group prefers to show the effects of occupation on everyday life. For example, Checkpoint is about a father's inability to reach his son to give him a birthday present. Another play, Blue Gold is a fantasy exploring the possible effects of water shortages. In their work, the group has formed partnerships with theatre organisations in Belgium, India, Rwanda and the UK and has toured performances to France, Luxembourg and Belgium.
