Application 39 invites you; to witness, to weep and to hope.
Written by Ahmed Masoud supported with an absolutely fabulous cast of Sara Masry, Sama Rantisi, Joe Haddad. With its tightrope balancing act of rooting in reality while developing wings for at least our collective imagination to fly. The punchy dialogue, razor sharp satire and moving light/ sound choices make this a piece of theatre that will stay in the depth of your bones forever.
Set in Gaza in 2048, where being herded by flying talking robots is normal, two young IT professionals reformat France’s application to host the olympics and suggest Gaza. What follows is not only reliving of the ghosts of the many buried past, the decisions affecting so many futures. The play is a treatise to the most forgotten collateral damage of war, arms and men’s egos being unable to share resources. ‘Children’s innocence’.
The premise of the play itself throws a spotlight in the corporate greed shadowing Global events for their own gains. It is very believable for history to repeat itself; London hosted the ‘austerity’ Olympics six years after global conflict in 1948. I can believe this happening in Gaza. To showcase and celebrate their unique indigenous culture, textile, dance and music. The food we don’t deserve, since we closed our eyes while they burnt olive trees and crops, our trip should also be one with refugee food packets.
The camaraderie shared by the characters played by Sama Rantisi and Joe Haddad capture the sweet friendship and gnawing ache of young adolescents going through unimaginable circumstances to survive. Sara Masry plays the role of the diplomat holding counsel for us all, rolling up her sleeves to get things done while also shuddering under power. Her character provides astute observations that despite the war, the demolished buildings and rubble must be kept as homage to those who were murdered in excruciating circumstances. The monarch/ president played by Zaydun Khalaf is a fascinating character study in embodying status. The aesthetic of the play is minimalistic, but the choices made are popping. For example, one can’t take one’s eyes off the orange shoes.
The power of the narrative form to stand tall connecting the stories we have forgotten of those before us and spin carefully and colourfully the possible futures we still can’t dream of is at the heart of this piece. The Palestinian people keep showing up with their steadfast courage and determination leading the way in the imagination of peace, hope and right to self-determination. Only time will tell, how long will we wait, how many bodies, how many doctors, journalists, aid workers must pile up for the colonial west to follow the rule book. Congratulations to the Pal Art Collective, Shubbak Festival and Theatro Technis for leading the way.
You probably won’t get tickets now as all the shows are sold out. Perhaps you could figure out how else to show up? May writer Ahmed Masoud’s imagination move you to action? He lost his sister-in-law, Ibtisam and his 17-year-old nephew Mahmoud Ahmed by the Israeli occupation on 15 May 2025. On 22 January 2024, he lost his brother Khalid and his father. Prior to that in 2023 he lost 13 cousins in a strike on a neighbourhood he grew up in Gaza, Jabalia camp. And despite all of that, he shows up at the theatre and creates a space for us to dry our tears of disillusionment.
Reviewer: Anisha Pucadyil
Reviewed: 27th May 2025
North West End UK Rating: