Review: The Horse of Jenin
@ the Bush Theatre until January 22nd 2026
Director: Katrien van Beurden
Writer: Alaa Shehada
Cast: Alaa Shehada
Part stand-up routine, part performance art, Alaa Shehada’s The Horse of Jenin returns to the Bush Theatre for a short run of performances following a critically acclaimed, sold out stretch towards the end of last year. A piece about occupation, yes, but also about the power and desecration of symbols and artefacts in war, the production combines a very pointedly British style of ‘open mic’ humour, with all of its audience interaction and carefully structured gags, with a much more avant-garde and poetic artistry rooted in its Palestinian origins. The result is a show that is occasionally funny - largely thanks to Shehada’s febrile charisma and energy - and subtly affecting in its exploration of the impact of war and violence on a people simply trying to live their lives like everyone else.
The titular horse - a 5 metre tall art installation on a roundabout in the city of Jenin, built from the metal scraps of buildings and vehicles destroyed by the IDF - serves as a symbol for resistance, and Shehada weaves his narrative around events in his younger life where the structure featured heavily. He talks about his best friend, his first kiss, and developing a love for performance, all while alluding to the ever-present threat posed by the occupation. Shehada adopts traditional wooden theatre masks to portray different people and stages in his life, and he touches on ideas of grief and loss but also hope as a Palestinian man trying to use art to compartmentalise his experiences in Jenin.
This is a solid show and it has much merit as a piece of comedy. It sometimes feels a little like a work-in-progress and, though the ending is full of pathos, the middle-third lags and becomes a little repetitive. Shehada has excellent comic presence, however, and his crowd work, particularly with such a gruelling topic as the occupation of Palestine, is very effective. I expect this show will command a bigger audience if it tours the country, and with the right editing it could be a real smash. As it stands, I think it’s an enjoyable and well-written show but one that sometimes feels underdeveloped.
Score: ⭐⭐⭐