Host Anna Robb sits down with Emile Saba, a Palestinian theatre director, actor, and Artistic Director of Ashtar Theatre. From his early training in Ramallah to earning an MFA in stage performance in the U.S., Emile has built a career at the intersection of art, activism, and community healing. Under his leadership, Ashtar continues its pioneering work in Theatre of the Oppressed while launching bold new initiatives like a theatre–circus academy.
In this conversation, Emile reflects on sustaining cultural life amid political struggle, creating theatre as a form of psychosocial support, and his vision for works like Guernica Gaza that reframe resilience through art. Enjoy this powerful glimpse into their conversation—and don’t forget to join us next week for the full episode.
What is Ashtar Theatre, and what role does it play in Palestinian culture?
Emile Saba:
Ashtar Theatre was founded in 1991, originally in Jerusalem before relocating to Ramallah. It became the first theatre school for children and youth in Palestine and has since developed into a hub for Theatre of the Oppressed in the Middle East. Its legacy lies in creating bold, political works that challenge the status quo, while also engaging deeply with communities.
The theatre runs diploma programs, youth productions, and psychosocial projects in schools, villages, and community organizations. Its philosophy is rooted in empowering people to reflect, heal, and connect through performance.
Currently, Ashtar is expanding into a groundbreaking project: an academy combining theatre and circus in partnership with the Palestinian Circus School in Birzeit. This new two-year diploma will train performers in both disciplines, fostering residencies, artistic exchange, and new possibilities for Palestinian cultural life.
How does Ashtar sustain itself financially, given the political climate?
Emile Saba:
Funding has always been precarious. Ashtar is an NGO, traditionally supported by international organizations. However, many of these funders imposed problematic conditions, such as requiring Palestinian institutions to sign “non-terrorist” agreements. Ashtar refused, which limited funding options.
After the 2023 war on Gaza, Ashtar took a strong stance against accepting money from complicit governments. This forced a shift toward independent funding, such as:
Global Giving campaigns, particularly to support psychosocial interventions.
The Gaza Monologues, an international project where theatre companies worldwide stage Palestinian youth testimonies. Proceeds from these events directly support Ashtar’s work.
While traditional funding streams still exist, the theatre now emphasizes financial independence and resilience. This shift reflects a broader realization that cultural institutions cannot rely on organizations that fail to stand up for Palestinian humanity.
How has the ongoing conflict shaped the focus of your recent work?
Emile Saba:
The war left many artists questioning the role of theatre itself—asking whether art matters when people are starving or under bombardment. For a time, the company felt hopeless. But therapy sessions with the team clarified a path: theatre could serve as a tool for healing.
Ashtar shifted its focus to psychosocial support, creating safe spaces for children, youth, and women to express trauma. These workshops became vital outlets for grief, anger, and resilience.
Artistically, the challenge was how to make theatre meaningful in the middle of catastrophe. Saba directed Guernica Gaza (2023), inspired by Picasso’s antiwar painting and written by Naomi Wallace and Ismail Khalidi. The play used magical realism, poetic imagery, and live video art to depict Palestinians not as victims but as resilient beings seeking connection.
Audiences filled the theatre every night, many sharing afterward that the production finally allowed them to cry. For Saba, this confirmed that theatre still matters—not only as art but as a form of survival and collective processing.
What differences did you observe between studying theatre in the U.S. and creating theatre in Palestine?
Emile Saba:
Studying at the University of Connecticut gave Saba technical rigor and confidence. He realized that his foundation at Ashtar was strong, especially in classical texts and physical theatre. But the cultural differences were striking:
In Palestine: Theatre tends toward the experimental, with influences of absurdism and physical storytelling. Productions are re-imagined freely, often shaped by current social realities.
In the U.S.: Theatre is more rule-bound, often adhering strictly to genre or stylistic conventions. Casting is tightly tied to ethnicity and identity categories—an Arab actor like Saba was often limited to stereotypical roles.
Saba recalls performing Shylock’s monologue from The Merchant of Venice. Many in the audience assumed he was Jewish, thanking him for “speaking for them.” The experience revealed both the power of art to blur identities and the rigid boundaries imposed by U.S. casting practices.
Ultimately, the American system felt limiting, reinforcing stereotypes rather than breaking them. Returning home, Saba embraced a theatre of purpose—one that speaks directly to community needs, provokes thought, and insists on political relevance.
What are your upcoming projects and vision for the future?
Emile Saba:
Looking ahead, Saba balances expanding Guernica Gaza internationally with developing new work. Plans include:
Festival Tours: Bringing Guernica Gaza to global audiences, including a major festival in Norway.
New Play in English: Co-writing with Palestinian-American writer Omar Hantash, focusing on four Palestinians in the U.S. navigating identity, activism, and diaspora life.
Monodrama Project: Exploring a solo performance rooted in Palestinian political realities, expanding on his earlier futuristic one-man show 2077.
Academy Launch: Overseeing Ashtar’s new theatre-circus diploma, designed to train a new generation of multidisciplinary artists.
For Saba, the guiding principle remains clear: theatre must serve a purpose. It should not exist in isolation but should question, provoke, and give communities spaces to imagine resilience and hope.
Key Takeaways:
Ashtar Theatre blends activism, training, and community healing.
Post-2023, funding shifted toward independence and integrity.
Theatre now doubles as psychosocial support for youth and families.
Guernica Gaza showed art’s power to restore hope in dark times.
Palestinian theatre thrives on experimentation; U.S. theatre felt limiting.
Saba’s future: touring Guernica Gaza, new diaspora-focused plays, and launching a theatre–circus academy.
Main Image: Courtesy of www.ashtar-theatre.org