Maxine Peake Will Direct a Charity Performance Of BITTERENDERS at the Arcola Theatre in July

Multi award-winning actress Maxine Peake is to make her debut as a director this July for a live-streamed production of Hannah Khalil's Bitterenders to be staged in aid of MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians - https://www.map.org.uk/ ).

Set in Jerusalem and inspired by a true story, this black comedy tells the story of a family of Palestinians who are forced, by court ruling, to share their home with a group of Israeli settlers. Speaking directly to the situation today, this timely production balances humour, storytelling and metaphor, to give audiences a fresh perspective on the Middle East.

The cast features Sarah Agha (King John, A Museum in Baghdad - RSC), Murat Erkek (Here - Curious Monkey, The Lehman Trilogy - National Theatre), Rendah Beshoori (A Museum In Baghdad - RSC, The Kitchen - National Theatre) and Anna Savva (Jude - Hampstead Theatre, The Durrells). Music will be composed by Donna McKevitt. Steven Kunis assistant directs. The production team includes Matthew Dunster as Executive Producer. David Adkin and Damien Tracey produce and Simon Marriott associate produces.

Maxine Peake says:

"I've always been interested in the situation in the Middle East since I learned that my grandfather had served in mandated Palestine in the 1940s. So, I'm delighted to be making my directorial debut with Bitterenders and that we can raise some money for MAP which is such an important humanitarian charity."

Hannah Khalil says:

"In 2010 I watched a video about Palestinians in East Jerusalem having to share their house with Israeli settlers and was struck by the dramatic potential of this story. A while later I was re-watching an episode of the British sitcom Steptoe and Son in which the father and son are finding it impossible to live together, so divide the house in two, to hilarious and poignant consequences. These two things came together in my head and the result is Bitterenders. I'm so grateful to the whole team and to the Arcola for giving their time and expertise in order to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians."

The staging will stream live from the Arcola on Friday 9 July 2021, and then be available on demand until Saturday July 17 at 23.59hrs.

Award-winning Palestinian-Irish writer Hannah Khalil wrote Bitterenders in 2010 in response to a video she saw online via the Israeli Human Rights organisation B'TSelem. It has been produced in London (at the Mosaic Rooms), Brighton and in San Francisco by Golden Thread Productions.

Bitterenders is suitable for 14+. Tickets are £5 including a £1 booking fee with the option to donate more. All proceeds will go to MAP.

The project is generously supported by Abdul Shayek (Artistic Director & Joint CEO of Tara Arts), Kerry Kyriacos Michael and Panorama Productions.

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