Majenin begins as a stand-up routine. As the audience is swept up in laughter, we transition almost seamlessly into theatre, where the love story begins. A three-hander written by Marena Riyad (who also plays the lead), Majenin is a play that seems acutely aware of the boundaries of its medium and exactly where to push them.
Staged on a relatively minimal set, Majenin is made unforgettable by the performances of each of the three lead actors. The show pulses with palpable chemistry.
There are a series of creative decisions that make the play truly special, including the curated playlist of Palestinian love songs. But it is the decision to introduce a third actor to play Riyad’s past self that moved me the most. It serves the purpose of the play—that we become unrecognisable when we lose ourselves to love—and allows for Riyad to step out of the scene and become the play’s narrator, which enriches the narrative and lets her acting chops shine in a series of poignant monologues.
At its core, Majenin seeks to introduce Palestinian stories through the lens of love and joy, rather than through the usual grief and tragedy. As Riyad tells us in the play: “They talk about the right to return. Nobody talks about the right to love.”
Love is the undercurrent of Majenin. From the romantic love between the characters, to the self-love between Riyad and her past self, to the love of the performing arts, and of course, the love of Palestinian culture, food, and music–the show is simply overflowing with love. Above all, it is an extraordinary story about the complex and universal realities of what happens when two people—two artists—fall in love. It is brilliant.
In the end, we return to stand-up. Riyad sends off the audience with a final powerful monologue that leaves us—and her—in tears. Majenin is a perfectly balanced narrative. Toeing the lines between stand-up and theatre, comedy and poignancy, it is a play that refuses to be forgotten.
Majenin – A Palestinian Love Story is running until 31 August (not 18, 19) at 10 Dome at Pleasance Dome. Buy tickets here.
Image credits to Majenin press team.
