Palestinian Circus artists are taking Edinburgh Fringe by storm with their awe-inspiring, heart wrenching show ‘Step and a Half’.
‘Joy is an act of resistance’. These words are voiced over the Lafayette in a moment of stillness and echo throughout the show, this sentiment is at the heart of the Palestinian Circus. As a non-profit organisation, they spread connection and hope across Palestine through performance art and community outreach programmes. The group have persevered through unthinkable challenges to reach the stage they are on today, and their resilience seeps into every moment of contagiously unfiltered joy.
Before the show begins the crew skip, dance and spring across the stage, joking around and waving at the crowd sitting just metres from them. This light tone of camaraderie sets the tone for the entire performance.
The ensemble is dressed in contemporary costumes adorned with traditional embroidered fabrics and the keffiyeh, hanging in beautiful silhouettes cast onto the back wall by a spotlight which turn one person into the reflection of a million. Traditional Palestinian ballads intermingled with contemporary electronic music underscore each act, broken up by statements of Palestinian resistance. Between jaw-dropping circus acts the collective dance the traditional Dabke, tell a love story and commemorate a wedding.
Amongst their celebration of culture the show delicately scatters solemn songs of loss, heartbreak and disconnect from community. Sana Joani’s silks routine was a haunting display, a girl hung by a thread, repeatedly torn from her loved ones reaching out for her hand but never quite close enough to touch. Other stand out performances were Julia Rafidi’s pole climbing and dancing routines, alongside a mesmerising diablo routine by Nouraldin Jadallah.
The performers of this show are undoubtedly talented, drawing huge applause, cheers and occasional gasps from their audience. But above all they are charming, energetic and magnetically jubilant. The show will leave you full of hope, feeling blessed to have witnessed such a beautifully vulnerable display. The most well-deserved standing ovation I’ve ever seen, and a show I would buy a ticket to watch again in a heartbeat. A true diamond of the Edinburgh Fringe 2026.
Step and a Half runs until 29th August 26 at Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows and tickets can be found at https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-palestinian-circus-step-and-a-half
Reviewer: Ella Beckley
Reviewed: 15th August 2026
North West End UK / Theatre Muse UK Rating:
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