Fireworks by Palestinian writer Dalia Taha at Royal Court

Fireworks, a new play by Palestinian writer Dalia Taha, opens at the Royal Court Upstairs 19 February 2015, following previews from 12 February - running to 14 March 2015.

The play concerns an eleven year-old Lubna and twelve year-old Khalil who are playing on the empty stairwell in their apartment block in a Palestinian town. As the siege intensifies outside, fear for their safety becomes as crippling as the conflict itself. "There's no-one in the streets but us. You run that way and I'll run this way. Whoever gets back to the front door first and without getting shot, wins."

Fireworks was first developed during the Royal Court's International Residency in August 2013. Dalia returned to London this summer and, in response to recent events, continued to develop her play. Directed by the Royal Court's International Associate, Richard Twyman, the play is part of International Playwrights: A Genesis Foundation Project, and will be accompanied by a series of Big Idea events, talks and readings during the run, to be announced.

Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre said: "It is testament to the Royal Court's extraordinary International programme that we are able to programme Dalia's play at this moment - a personal and considered response to what is happening in Palestine. Dalia spent last week with us here in London where she worked intensively on the play. The play is about the children of the struggle and offers insight and a glimmer of hope where on a day to day basis there seems to be none. If the Royal Court is for anything, it is for this. To encourage writers to tell the hardest stories, to try to understand the world in which we live and in some small way contribute to the imagining of new possibilities. We are very grateful for Dalia's courage."

Originally published on

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