The First Year (of the Gaza Genocide in the Media)

©️Alex Brenner

BÉZNĂ Theatre’s The First Year (of the Gaza Genocide in the Media) looks at how Gaza has been represented in mainstream media since October 2023. Created with researchers from Shadow World Investigations and the International State Crime Initiative, and drawing on Palestinian testimony and extensive research into journalism, the production looks closely at how language, headlines and reporting shape the way audiences understand what is happening.

The writing, by Sînziana Cojocărescu, Hannah Khalil, Ahmed Masoud and an anonymous co-writer, is clearly grounded in a huge amount of research. This is one of the things I found most compelling about the production. It shows how media coverage can contribute to the dehumanisation and underrepresentation of Palestinians, and how choices in reporting can affect what audiences see, understand and remember.

Jida Akil’s set establishes a two-level space dominated by a large, angular structure that wraps around the left, back and right sides of the stage. Its box-like sections form a tunnel-like space beneath, while the upper level can be occupied by performers, who move, stand or sit above the action. At one point, a performer crawls inside it and speaks from a place of desperation and hopelessness. Soil covers the floor and gradually becomes associated with burial, while also suggesting the connection between land, home and belonging. Around the four walls, Dan Light’s projections bring in headlines, dates, and the names of those who have lost their lives, while Jodie Underwood’s lighting shifts the atmosphere and draws attention to different areas of the stage. Kareem Samara’s composition and Dominic Kennedy’s sound design work alongside the movement directed by Mathew Wernham, bringing sound, rhythm and physicality together within the piece’s visual world.

There are moments when this works very powerfully. At the same time, I was often overwhelmed by the production’s density. Elements such as testimony, storytelling and the use of figures do not always come together to create a clear rhythm or consistent tone. The frequent shifts between these forms can make the piece seem more like a collection of ideas than a developing theatrical experience.

This affected my emotional connection to the subject. The content is deeply painful, and the research reveals a great deal about the ways in which Gaza and Palestinians have been misrepresented. However, I found myself focusing more on following the different threads than on engaging comprehensively with their weight and significance. There are important perspectives and moments throughout, but greater clarity and focus could have allowed some of the key passages more space to resonate, allowing their impact to come through more clearly.

★★1/2

For more information, please visit: https://newdiorama.com/whats-on/the-first-year

Credits

Creative Team

Writer-Director - Sînziana Cojocărescu
Co-Writers - Hannah Khalil, Ahmed Masoud & Anonymous
Assistant Director - Hassan Al Rawas
Set & Costume Designer - Jida Akil
Video Designer - Dan Light
Lighting Designer - Jodie Underwood
Composer - Kareem Samara
Sound Designer - Dominic Kennedy
Movement Director - Mathew Wernham
Researcher - Niveen Haliqawi
Research Assistant - Donia Ashour
Consultants - Dr Mike Berry, Aseel Mousa, Dr Carrie Westwater
Psychological Support - Dr Nimisha Patel
Producer - Claire Gilbert for BÉZNĂ Theatre
Production Manager - Pete Rickards for eStage
Stage Manager - Stacey Nurse
Translators - Maryam Abu Khaled, Hassan Al Rawas and Sofia
But What Can I Do? Programme Partners - International State Crime Initiative & Shadow World Investigations

Cast

Maryam Abu Khaled
Luca Kamleh Chapman
Sara Masry
Sofia

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