Screening of ‘Palestine Comedy Club’ at The Dock

The Dock Arts Centre, Carrick-on-Shannon will host a special screening of the documentary ‘Palestine Comedy Club’ on Thursday, May 21st at 7 p.m..

The screening will be followed by a video questions and answers with Alaa Shehada, comedian and co-founder of the Palestine Comedy Club, and Alaa Aliabdallah, the film’s director.

The film follows six Palestinian stand up comedians from Haifa, Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and the Golan Heights as they devise and tour a comedy show across Palestine and Israel.

Working in places where there is no tradition of regular comedy clubs, the comedians confront the practical and cultural challenges of performing for communities separated by walls, checkpoints and differing lived realities.

‘Palestine Comedy Club’ explores how humour operates in difficult circumstances, asking what it means to laugh when daily life is shaped by political division and uncertainty. As the comedians work to create material that resonates across regions and experiences, the tour gains momentum, drawing audiences in growing numbers and attracting international attention.

The film also documents the group’s invitation to perform in London in October 2023, where they prepare to perform in English for the first time just as conflict escalates at home. The challenge of reaching audiences with empathy and honesty becomes central to their work, underscoring the role of comedy as a form of human connection.

‘Palestine Comedy Club’ is a quest to find joy in the tragedy of Palestinian life, and create connection against the odds through a common love of laughter.