KEFFIYEH / MADE IN CHINA (2023)




Keffiyeh/Made in China by Dalia Taha consists of ten vignettes depicting slices of everyday Palestinian life. In each scene, these people experience everyday situations which become surreal as they are trying to cope with the oppressive forces of colonialism and capitalism. Highlighting the symbolic meaning of the keffiyeh, this production aimed to humanise the cause behind the garment and overturn the narrative of fear, which is used by the colonial forces to maintain endless cycles of violence.
Textile and the use of fabrics represent a metaphorical thread that goes throughout the entire play, reflecting the influence of colonialism and capitalist mass-production on the individual's life. To represent the textile motif on stage, the ten vignettes were framed in a world of a small weaving factory in Palestine inspired by Hirbawi factory, the last keffiyeh factory in Palestine. The cast portrayed six workers in this factory who became different characters in each scene. Props, lighting, and sound, all coming from the factory, were used to indicate the different time and space of each vignette.
Director: Yuval Zehavi
Dramaturge: Sarah Schecter
Assistant Director: Lilah Peck
Scenic Design: You Chen Zhang
Costume Design: Shoshi Brustin
Lighting Design: Emily Moore
Sound Design: Ben Susskind
Stage Manager: Anoushka Hem
Intimacy Director: Carly D. W. Bones
Cast: Ali Qadiri, Mireya Nevel, Joseph Rosales, Cameryn Mitchell, RJ Wang, Ava Fong