Tales of a City by the Sea – Staged Reading in Dublin

A powerful staged reading of Tales of a City by the Sea by Samah Sabawi comes to Dublin, featuring Palestinian performers, live music, choreography, and immersive visual storytelling.

This staged reading includes Palestinian actors, musicians and performers who are part of Palestinian Cultural Days Dublin, alongside choreography, staging and visual elements, offering audiences an immersive and emotionally resonant experience of this significant work.

About the Play

Tales of a City by the Sea is a gripping and intimate portrait of life in Gaza before, during, and after the 2008–2009 bombardment.

The play follows Jomana, a Palestinian woman living in the Shati (Beach) refugee camp in Gaza, who falls in love with Rami — an American-born doctor and activist of Palestinian descent who arrives aboard the first Free Gaza boats in 2008.

Through their relationship, the play explores:

• The connection between Palestinians in the diaspora and those living under occupation

• Love and longing across borders

• Survival, resilience, and resistance

• The human cost of war

Rather than focusing solely on politics, Sabawi’s work centres the everyday lives, dreams, and humanity of ordinary people.

“Sabawi has created an enthralling landscape and peopled it with believable characters… It’s a gripping piece of theatre that begs to be seen and heard.” – Adelaide Theatre Guide

About the Playwright – Samah Sabawi

Samah Sabawi is an award-winning Palestinian playwright, poet, scholar, and political commentator. Her work weaves together art and resistance, creating powerful expressions of identity, memory, and hope.