Review: PalesTEENian, Theatre Peckham

Joe Haddad is a Palestinian, Catholic stand-up comedian who grew up in South London. There could hardly be a more relevant voice at the Peckham Fringe — an arts festival that values showcasing emerging local talent and cultural diversity. After being cautious about revealing his Palestinian background to those around him for years, here he is on stage at Theatre Peckham with his one-man show, presenting us with his unique perspective through a coming-of-age story which displays his skill as an entertainer.

This unique perspective is that of someone growing up being from, and having family in, a country where there is war and tragedy. There’s a lot of the fragmented child’s perspective: the ominous feeling of half knowing, but also having the looming feeling of a darker unknown, something beyond your comprehension as a child — why you must repeat what your parents say at the airport word for word, why you can’t put up a string of Palestinian flags.

There is also a lot of conversation about belonging here. Haddad expresses his love for his home country, his admiration for his “cool” Palestinian cousins, alongside his affection for British identity, represented through his attachment to his Chelsea shirt.

He is conflicted and unsure about how to present himself to the world. However, through stand-up he finds a mentor in an older Scottish-Arab comedian, who encourages him to embrace his natural exuberance and find a home on the stage. This becomes perhaps the most concrete part of his identity, and the stand-up segments are some of the most successful parts of the show. His massive energy also carries the viewing experience, and he manages to embody a large cast of characters: aunties, uncles, parents, cousins, and students from his South East London school. He dips in and out of these voices with ease, without confusing the narrative.

Admittedly, there is a great deal of complicated experience for him to unpack, but the plot, although chronological, could be more organised. The themes and ideas are delivered somewhat haphazardly, and a clearer narrative arc guiding the audience would allow these poignant themes to land with greater force. Perhaps because there is so much to cover, it sometimes feels as though he has only scratched the surface of some of the ideas he presents.

Haddad’s hesitancy to fully reveal himself also comes across through his tendency to rest on clichés; the characterisations, although amusing, lack nuance, which at times makes his story feel more allegorical than personal. Some more specific portraits of the people in his life, in place of explicit explanation of how they function, would make the piece feel more grounded and emotionally immediate.

Once he has bridged this gap between feelings and how he communicates them, this show could sharpen into a deeply resonant portrait of identity in motion, balancing its comedic vitality with the emotional precision needed to fully land its most powerful truths.

Writer: Joe Haddad

This show has completed its current run.