The documentary follows six Palestinian comedians travelling to places with no tradition of regular comedy bringing their craft and life stories to stages not knowing how they will be received
The Dock Arts Centre is preparing to host a special screening of the documentary ‘Palestine Comedy Club’ on Thursday, May 21 at 7pm.
The screening will be followed by a video Q&A 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.
Speaking ahead of the screening later this month, Events Manager at The Dock Jane Carmody told the Irish Independent: “They reached out to us about screening it and I’d seen that it’s had a lot of international screenings around Europe and it just seemed really interesting.
“Our audience here, they have a real interest for documentaries and it’s something that they’re constantly asking for, so I just thought it would be a great fit. “
She added: “And then the film, when we looked at it, it just seemed like a great balance between humanising and the comedy of putting people to place. It just seemed like something that will be an accessible way for our viewers to see what is happening in Palestine.”
The film follows six Palestinian stand‑up comedians from Haifa, Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and the Golan Heights as they tour a comedy show across Palestine and Israel.
The upcoming screening is also a way for local community to express their solidarity, as Jane said The Dock gave the local Palestine solidarity group as well as local comedians, tickets to the screening.
Due to travel restrictions and barriers for Palestinians coming from the country, the documentary’s main comedian and director were unable to obtain visas to travel to Carrick-on-Shannon to attend the Q&A in person but will join over Zoom.
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.
Tickets to attend the screening are between €10 and €12 and are available from www.thedock.ie or 071 965 0828.