Edinburgh Fringe: A historical collage of conflict, colonialism and clowning from multi-talented Sami Abu-Wardeh.
‘The rockstar voice of the Palestinian Diaspora’ – Alexei Sayle
Booking via The Pleasance, Edinburgh
You can run from resistance but it will always catch up with you – as Sami finds out in his latest show. Join his open call for mass civil disobedience, equitable distribution of hand puppets and more! Find out once and for all: can resistance be funny?
Things are not well in the world, we don’t know if you’ve heard. Sami Abu-Wardeh, Channel 4’s The Sheikh, 2022 comedy hour BEDU, BBC Radio – returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with another non-stop clown-cum-standup hour of rage, righteousness, resistance and silly silly silly times.
Sami’s life was saved before he was born, his father having boarded a bus to return to his homeland to fight for the Palestine Liberation Organization only to be turned back at the Jordanian border. Sami is a Palestinian born in exile, only to then be displaced from his country of birth – Kuwait – by yet another war. These are a few of many moments of truth and sobering reality in this brand new 70 minutes, added to the Pleasance Festival Fringe line-up at the last minute for 2025.
As our host for the evening tells us, expect storytelling, clowning, cocktails and stand-up from a cast of (mostly*) mediterranean and Arab characters – each with a striking story to tell about their commitment to their human rights – a glimpse through time at the front lines of the resistance.
Sami doesn’t hold back, digging into his family’s ties with resistance and the extraordinary choices of freedom fighters. As Sami finds out in Peace De Resistance, his second solo comedy show, you can run from resistance but it will always catch up with you. Come and join his open call for mass civil disobedience, equitable distribution of hand puppets and more! Get ready to find out once and for all: can resistance actually be funny?
*also birds.
Sami’s work and life experience speaks to the urgent issues of today. Join us for what may be one of the most politically charged happenings of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025.
Previous Praise for Sami Abu-Wardeh:
‘Blissfully funny while barely speaking a word…’ – ★★★★ The Guardian
‘Outstandingly well written’ – ★★★★★ Everything Theatre
‘The single funniest face I’ve seen in years.’ – – ★★★★ Chortle
Written and Performed by Sami Abu-Wardeh
Directed by Sam Beale
Produced by Qasim Salam
Supported by Counterpoints and Palestine Comedy Club
