Amer Hlehel is a Palestinian actor and writer who has previously performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court and Young Vic. We spoke to him about Chronicles of Majnun Layla, which will play at the Gate between 1 – 3 July.

Can you tell us a bit about Chronicles of Majnun Layla?

For several years now, the world has been interested to see and hear stories of war from the Middle East and the Arab world as though there were no other stories we can tell. Chronicles of Majnun Layla comes to tell a love story, it comes to say that we, Arabs, also know how to love. In Qassim Haddad’s version of this classic tale, it is the Arabs who coined the word Love. In his version, Qays Eben Almulawah was the first human to ever utter the word. Haddad’s version is very poetic and emotional on one hand, and very erotic and earthy on the other.

Where did the inspiration for the show come from?

The show is happening thanks to Eckhard Thiemann, Artistic Director of Shubbak festival who saw the potential of a ‘spoken word and music’ performance after being audience to a 10 minute improvised collaboration between myself and Kareem Samara at the Edinburgh fringe festival 2017, where we performed a poem by Mahmoud Darweesh together.

I was always fascinated by the idea of mixing poetry and music on stage and trying through this form to make the audience go on a journey of imagination without a set. I had experimented with this form in Palestine in the past, and was thrilled when Eckhard saw its potential.

This is the world premiere of your show. Can you tell us a bit about your devising process?

With this beautiful text, and these amazing musicians, Kareem Samara and Rihab Azar, I only need to take care not to ruin the process.

Actually it was an amazingly enriching process of work. It started with conversations with Alice Guthrie around finding the best text for the show (in fact this text was her suggestion) then went through a development process with Kareem and Rihab looking for the language of the show, and finally reached the rehearsal period which built the whole performance and put everything together with the help of our producer, the artist Alia Alzougbi. I hope the audience will connect with it too.

You have previously performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court and Young Vic. What does performing in the UK mean to you?

It is a second home for me. In the beginning in 2010 when my relationship with the UK started I didn’t realise that I was going to build a relationship that would last this  long and become such an integral part of my career, a relationship without which I can no longer imagine my career. Any other theatre maker in the world will say that the UK is a place they want to be in contact with in their career to create their performance art. On the other hand, I don’t think I will ever feel that I am part of the core of theatre industry in the UK, I will always be an outsider. It will always feel like a second and not first home which to me is natural and obvious.

How did you get into theatre?

I remember myself as a child, standing at the top of the stairs in our house in our lovely village ‘Jish’ singing and imagining a crowd of hundreds screaming for joy for my singing. It didn’t take me that long to discover that I am not a good singer and that I needed to find another way to get to people’s hearts and minds. Then I discovered theatre — you don’t need to sing, you just need to talk. Easy, I thought. After nearly 20 years in theatre, I have found that, it is in fact not easy at all.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those wanting to make theatre?

Do what you think it is good for you, and don’t listen to any words of wisdom from anyone, including this one. Arts need us to be free, wild and creative.

Why should everyone see Chronicles of Majnun Layla?

I hope everyone will see it. If you don’t like words and don’t believe in their power and beauty, then this is not a show for you. But do come, and perhaps this show will change your mind.

Chronicles of Majnun Layla will be playing at the Gate Theatre between 1 – 3 July 2019 at 7pm. Book tickets here.