Marklyft

Marklyft is a visual, poetic and physical story about human resilience in the midst of collective trauma - about the burden of resistance and the power of symbols, where the heroic ideal is set against the right to be human. Under the direction of Bashar Murkus, four actors and a musician explore a question that is both political and existential: What happens to a person when they are reduced to a symbol? Do they have the right to feel fear? Do they have the right to set down their burden?

The production is inspired by Suleiman Mansour's iconic painting Jamal Al Mahamel, in which a nameless man carries an entire city on his back. The image has become a symbol of Palestinian resilience and resistance. In Marklyft, Murkus brings the artwork to life through the painting's mythic history - lost, found, destroyed, reproduced - and allows its silent bearer to emerge as real people: tired, strong and vulnerable.

Performance length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cast: Ehab Abed, Wajdi Khalid, Reem Talhami, Nicola Zreineh, Wouter de Belder

Written and directed by: Bashar Murkus. Set design: Nancy Mkaabal, Bashar Murkus. Music: Wouter de Belder. Lighting design: Bart Verzellenberg. Technical project management and set production: Issam Rishmawi, Simon Haen. Assistant director: Hadil Khateb.

A co-production with Al Harah Theater/Palestine, in collaboration with Boy Jonkergouw Producties/Netherlands and Riksteatern/Sweden. Supported by AFAC & The Danish House in Palestine.