ZOE LAFFERTY
VISIT BETHLEHEM
VAULTS FESTIVAL
Performed & Based on the life of Osama Al Azza
'When we have a martyr we consider it a wedding. We sing during invasions. And we dance under curfew'
A true story, told by a clown, living under military occupation, performed in the streets, alleyways and tunnels of Vault Festival.
When a group of tourists visit Bethlehem the last thing they expect is a tour of Palestine’s smallest refugee camp. Inspired by Osama’s true story ‘Visit Bethlehem’ is a fun yet brutal exploration of the highs and lows of one young clown living under military occupation.
Osama is from Al Azza refugee camp in Bethlehem, Palestine. He grew up living under military occupation with tear gas, bullets, nightly curfews and army invasions. His dream is to be a professional clown but with few chances to make money he ends up taking tourists around the birth place of Jesus, the Church of the Nativity. One day he snaps and decides to take his group of visitors to his refugee camp ten minutes down the road and show them the conditions that Palestinians really live under.