As part of Shubbak's year-round programme, 63 Days of Sit-In makes its London premiere at Theatro Technis on 4 & 5 September, presented as a complete evening of theatre, film, and conversation.

Created by Palestinian theatre collective Basta Theatre, 63 Days of Sit-In is the result of a collaborative artistic and research journey based on the true story of the 63-day sit-in led by Palestinian disability rights activists inside the Palestinian Legislative Council during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Performed by Hamad Samamrah, one of the leaders and participants in the original sit-in, the performance combines lived experience, documentary theatre, archival material, and collective research to revisit the movement from within, reflecting on civic action, disability rights, and the role of theatre in preserving memory and generating knowledge.

The evening continues with the London premiere of the accompanying documentary film, documenting the artistic journey that transformed a real political sit-in into a documentary theatre performance. Together, the performance, film, and post-show conversation invite audiences to experience not only the story itself, but also the collaborative process that brought it to the stage.

ضمن برنامج مهرجان شباك الممتد على مدار العام، يُعرض 63 يومًا من الاعتصام للمرة الأولى في لندن على خشبة مسرح Theatro Technis يومي 4 و5 سبتمبر، ضمن أمسية تجمع بين العرض المسرحي، والفيلم الوثائقي، وحوار مع فريق العمل.

تقدّم تعاونية مسرح البسطة – فلسطين هذا العمل المسرحي الوثائقي، الذي جاء ثمرة رحلة جماعية من البحث والتطوير الفني، مستندًا إلى القصة الحقيقية لاعتصام استمر 63 يومًا داخل المجلس التشريعي الفلسطيني، قاده ناشطون في مجال حقوق الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة خلال جائحة كوفيد-19.

يقود العرض حمد سمامرة، أحد قادة الاعتصام والمشاركين فيه، حيث يجمع بين الشهادة الحية، والمسرح الوثائقي، والأرشيف، والبحث الجماعي، ليعيد بناء تجربة الحراك من الداخل، متأملًا قضايا المشاركة المدنية، وحقوق الأشخاص ذوي الإعاقة، ودور المسرح في حفظ الذاكرة وإنتاج المعرفة.

وتتواصل الأمسية مع العرض الأول في لندن للفيلم الوثائقي المصاحب، الذي يوثّق الرحلة الفنية لتحويل الاعتصام إلى عمل مسرحي، ليمنح الجمهور فرصة نادرة لاكتشاف القصة، ومسار تطويرها، والعملية الإبداعية التي وقفت خلفها.

Basta Collective is an independent artistic collective founded in Jerusalem in 2015. The collective develops documentary theatre, participatory performances, and interdisciplinary cultural projects that engage with contemporary social realities through collaborative artistic processes. Over the past decade, Basta Collective has become known for its documentary and socially engaged performances, presented across Palestine and internationally through festivals, theatres, museums, and cultural institutions. Its work brings together artists, communities, and researchers to create meaningful spaces for dialogue, learning, and cultural exchange.

Hussam Ghosheh theatre-maker, creative producer, editor, researcher, and cultural organiser based in Berlin, with an ongoing practice across Palestine and Europe. His interdisciplinary work brings together documentary theatre, artistic research, publishing, cultural heritage, and institutional development, exploring how artistic practice can generate knowledge, strengthen communities, and foster social dialogue.

He is the Co-Founder and Creative Producer of Basta Theatre, an independent cultural initiative developing interdisciplinary projects that connect performance with civic participation, education, and social change. He has also contributed to establishing and developing several cultural and community initiatives in Palestine, working across theatre, publishing, cultural heritage, and community-based artistic practice.

Among his recent works is 63 Days of Sit-In, a documentary theatre production based on the true story of the 63-day sit-in led by people with disabilities at the Palestinian Legislative Council. The work combines verbatim testimony, archival material, and physical performance, and has been presented across Palestine and Europe. It continues to tour internationally, including performances at the Shubbak Festival in London. 

Alongside his artistic practice, Hussam has edited publications for youth as well as books and specialised studies on the cultural heritage of Jerusalem. His work is driven by a commitment to inclusive cultural practice, collaborative knowledge production, and building partnerships across artistic, academic, and civic institutions.

Hamad Samamreh is a human rights advocate, researcher, performer, and community organiser, born in 1999 in Al-Dhahiriya, south of Hebron. His interdisciplinary practice brings together disability rights advocacy, community organising, artistic research, and documentary theatre, exploring how lived experience can become a catalyst for collective action and social change.

A graduate in Social Work, Hamad has played a leading role in grassroots campaigns advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities in Palestine. He was one of the leaders of the 63-day sit-in at the Palestinian Legislative Council, a landmark civic action that contributed to securing comprehensive health insurance for persons with disabilities. During the sit-in, he also performed in “Insurance Basta”, a site-specific protest performance presented inside the Palestinian Legislative Council, marking the beginning of his collaboration with Basta Theatre.

Hamad is a member of Basta Theatre Collective and the lead performer in 63 Days of Sit-In, a documentary theatre production based on the true story of the sit-in, in which he performs his own lived experience on stage. His work is driven by a commitment to disability justice, inclusive participation, and the use of research, storytelling, and performance as interconnected tools for advocacy, dialogue, and social transformation.

Mousa Nazzal is a theatre-maker, performer, facilitator, and medical care clown born in Jerusalem in 1996. His practice spans acting, directing, participatory performance, and theatre education, with a particular interest in creating work that connects artistic expression with community engagement.

He is the founder of Laween Initiative for Community Expression, a member of Basta Theatre Collective, and a medical care clown with Red Noses Palestine. Alongside his artistic practice, Mousa facilitates theatre workshops and training programmes in interactive drama, clowning, devising theatre, text, and performance for participants of different ages and backgrounds.

As a performer, his work moves between theatres, public spaces, and community settings, exploring participation, playfulness, and collective storytelling. He is part of 63 Days of Sit-In, a documentary theatre production based on the true story of the 63-day sit-in led by people with disabilities at the Palestinian Legislative Council, where he contributes to both the artistic performance and the technical realisation of the production.

©️63 Days of Sit-In was originally developed with the support of the Disability Under Siege (DUS) Network, University of Birmingham.
The London presentation is supported by Wijhat (an initiative of Al Mawred Al Thaqafy – Culture Resource).
The accompanying documentary film was directed by Hussam Ghosheh and Mahmoud Abu Shamsiyeh, and produced with the support of the British Council in Palestine through the Jerusalem Creative Spaces Programme, in collaboration with the Disability Under Siege (DUS) Network, University of Birmingham.

Details

4 & 5 September 2026

7.30pm

Performance
followed by a film screening

Suitable for ages 13+

Content warning
Political themes, references to disability rights struggles and systemic discrimination

Address
Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Rd, NW1 1TT

Access Theatro Technis is fully wheelchair accessible.
Access information

Tickets

  • Full price: £17
  • Concession: £17 

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