Palestinian comedy group believes in importance of laughter despite regional unrest

AMMAN — Despite the difficult situation many Arab countries are facing in the region due to instability, Arabs at the same time have the right to smile and forget their suffering through comedy, according to a leading Palestinian comedian.

In an interview with The Jordan Times, Imad Farajin, a member of the popular Palestinian comedy group Watan A Watar, said the topic of refugees and casualties is really tragic and harsh.

“I was not able to tackle this issue through comedy, and even through black comedy it does not work and the pain is really huge; at the same time, it is our right to smile because life has to go on and always there is hope,” he said.

The three-member group was performing a show at a hotel in Amman during Ramadan.

The group is popular in Jordan due to its unique humour covering daily life issues in Palestine and the Arab world, gaining thousands of views on YouTube.

“Palestinians and Jordanians are one people and our topics are the same, and here in Jordan I believe that I am in front of the Palestinian people. Jordan has really been a hospitable country and they really supported us,” Farajin added.

Farajin said the group’s 22 shows in Jordan were all fully booked. “I hope that God will protect Jordan and its people.”

He describes himself as a “regular person”, coming from the street and living on the street.

“I did not fall from an airplane. I am the child of the street and I already suffer the things that all Palestinians are suffering. Jordanians and Palestinians have the same social and economic concerns and people want to see themselves through our shows,” he added.

Manal Awad, another member of the troupe, said she used to perform at a theatre in Palestine with the other members of Watan A Watar.

“Later we decided to leave it and form a group of our own, and we financed the first show from our pockets. From that show onwards, we moved to Watan A Watar,” she told The Jordan Times.

Awad noted that the sketches they perform in Amman tackle specific issues, of interest to families and young people.

She believes that she has a great task as a woman to focus on topics related to Arab and Palestinian women.

“I take advantage of these shows to showcase women’s issues in a comedic way.”

Awad said the problem is not with the capabilities of Palestinian women, but with the lack of the opportunities for them.

“We have no production cities like in Syria, Egypt; even in Jordan the situation is much better. We have only individual initiatives and I criticise the private sector that does not support artists and their artistic initiatives,” she added.

Khalid Massou, another member of the group, said they wanted to focus this year on social topics because “it is important to highlight them in a comedic way away from politics.” 

“People are fed up with the political situation in the region.”

Massou stressed that comedy is important, especially in Palestine, because it is the people’s right to laugh and move on in their lives.

Awad said Palestinians and Arabs live in a “tragic situation”.

“Comedy is an important weapon to deliver any message and alleviate the sufferings of people.”