The English language world premiere of a fierce, hallucinatory new play by Naomi Wallace & Ismail Khalidi, stitching together a mosaic of voices connected by the struggle to survive. Premiering at the Finborough Theatre.

"In the dark times

Will there also be singing?

Yes, there will also be singing.

About the dark times."

- Bertolt Brecht

We are living in dark times. But we believe that the human imagination is, in and of itself, one of the most powerful forms of resistance.

Inspired by Picasso’s 1937 masterpiece Guernica, award-winning writing duo Naomi Wallace and Ismail Khalidi have stitched together a mosaic of voices connected by the struggle to survive. This English language world premiere will be directed by acclaimed Palestinian director Emile Saba.

London’s multi award-winning Finborough Theatre is defying the implicit and explicit censorship around the ongoing genocide in Palestine to bring Visions from the Center of the Earth to the stage in Autumn 2026.

This play is an artistic clarion call in perilous times, and to bring it to life in London, we need your support.

CONVERSATION WITH THE WRITERS

THE PLAY

Visions from the Center of the Earth is a hallucinatory portrait of five Palestinians, hellbent on surviving the inferno of a war of annihilation raging around them.

The play is a patchwork orchestra of voices stitched together by the bombs falling above them. As the world is pulverised and family members are separated by rubble, their stories intertwine in a defiance of form.

THE CONTEXT: Why this play? Why Now?

Visions from the Center of the Earth was as commissioned by Ashtar Theatre in Ramallah in 2024, during the first year of the genocide. With only six weeks to deliver a draft, Wallace and Khalidi embarked on a furious act of creation.

The play premiered in Arabic in the occupied West Bank to profound acclaim. Now it must be heard in English.

Theatre about Palestine is frequently silenced in the West. By supporting this project, you are not just funding a play; you are breaking the wall of censorship, and ensuring that Palestinian voices are heard in London, the heart of the empire that has historically shaped the region's fate.

In a landscape where Palestinian stories are frequently de-programmed, depoliticised and underfunded, the Finborough Theatre stands as a rare space for artistic bravery. Your support isn't just a donation; it is a vote against complicity and silence, and an act of cultural resistance.

"A powerful and moving portrayal

of the cost of war... the play draws

attention to the devastating

impacts of genocide."

- Marina Johnson, Arab Stages

CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR

THE TEAM

Naomi Wallace's plays have been produced in the United States, the U.K., Europe and the Middle East. Awards include the MacArthur Award, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Arts and Letters Award in Literature, and the Windham Campbell prize for drama. Works include In the Heart of America, Slaughter City, One Flea Spare, The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek, Things of Dry Hours, The Liquid Plain and The Breach. Her stage adaptation of William Wharton’s novel Birdy was produced on the West End in London. Films: Lawn Dogs, The War Boys, Flying Blind (co-written with Bruce McLeod). Awards: Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (twice), Joseph Kesselring Prize, Fellowship of Southern Writers Drama Award, a Horton Foote Award and a National Endowment for the Arts grant.

Ismail Khalidi is a Palestinian-American writer whose plays include Tennis in Nablus, Foot, and Sabra Falling. His work has been produced and published internationally, and an anthology of his plays, Until I Return: The Selected Plays of Ismail Khalidi, was released in 2025 from Bloomsbury. His previous collaborations with Naomi Wallace include adaptations of Returning to Haifa and The Corpse Washer, as well as Inside/Outside: Six Plays from Palestine and the Diaspora, which the two co-edited.

Emile Saba is a Palestinian theatre director, actor, and cultural leader, and the Artistic Director of ASHTAR Theatre in Ramallah. His artistic journey began at ASHTAR, the home that shaped his creative vision and commitment to community. He later earned an MFA in Stage Acting from the University of Connecticut in the United States. Saba’s work bridges poetry and political reality, drawing on magical realism to imagine justice and change. He has presented and led theatre projects across Palestine, the Arab region, Europe, and the United States. His works include 2077: Who Wants to Survive, Cosmos, Love on the Shelf, Jabra, and Guernica Gaza.

Ashtar Theatre is a pioneering Palestinian non-profit theatre founded in 1991 in Jerusalem by actors Edward Muallem and Iman Aoun. With a progressive global outlook, ASHTAR combines professional theatre productions with intensive training programs that empower young artists and promote social change. Known for its innovative Forum Theatre, ASHTAR actively engages communities—bringing theatre to marginalized and remote areas across Palestine—and transforms audiences into participants in dialogue around social and political issues. Through local and international collaborations, master classes, and award-winning performances, ASHTAR continues to serve as a dynamic cultural and democracy-building force in Palestine.

The Finborough Theatre is one of London's most respected Off-West End theatres, known for punching above its weight and championing politically vital work.

THE ASK

Producing theatre is neither cheap nor easy, especially when public funding for politically sensitive work is scarce.

Our total budget for the English language premiere is £69,700. This covers paying our cast and creative team a living wage, rehearsal costs, design, pre-production and a comprehensive marketing and PR campaign to cut through the noise in this difficult landscape.

More importantly, this is an inherently a multi-national, multidisciplinary project whcih requires the presence of a number of creatives from abroad, who will require visas, accommodation and amenities to ensure this project is produced to the best of our ability.

We are looking to raise £53,000 (approx. 75%) through this campaign. The Box Office and additional funding will hopefully supply the rest.

It Is important to note that through strict budgeting, we hope that this campaign raised some additional seed funding for future UK tours and a US run.

Where Your Money Goes:

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

We know that times are hard. If you cannot donate today, please consider:

Sharing this campaign on social media, email, and WhatsApp.

Talking about the play. Help us break the silence.

Advance sales and Coming to the show in November 2026.

"In the dark times, there will also be singing." Help us sing.

Risks & Challenges

Producing independent theatre always comes with inherent challenges. These include securing sufficient funding, venue programming, rehearsal scheduling, creative team coordination, and managing production costs such as set, lighting, costumes, and marketing. While we have carefully budgeted and planned the project, unforeseen logistical or financial obstacles can arise in live performance.

Additionally, the subject matter of this play is bold and thought-provoking. While this is central to its artistic value, it may present marketing and press challenges. We are committed to handling this responsibly and professionally, and will be working with experienced marketing and PR professionals to ensure the work is positioned thoughtfully and sensitively.

Our team has extensive experience producing theatre, and we are putting strong management structures in place to mitigate risks wherever possible.

Refunds & Cancellations

We are fully committed to bringing this production to life. However, as with all live theatre, there are risks. If we do not reach our minimum funding target, or if unforeseen circumstances beyond our control prevent the production from going ahead as planned, we may need to postpone or withdraw the production at this time.

If the production is postponed or withdrawn before it takes place, we will contact all donors directly and transparently to outline the next steps. In that situation, supporters will have the option to:

+ Keep their contribution allocated toward a future confirmed production date;

+ Request a full refund of their contribution.

Refunds will only be offered in the event that the production is postponed or withdrawn before it takes place.

If the production goes ahead as planned, contributions are considered final and non-refundable. As this is a crowdfunding campaign supporting a live theatrical production (rather than a retail purchase), funds are used to cover upfront production costs including venue hire, rehearsal space, creative fees, design, and marketing.

We deeply value the trust and support of our backers and will ensure clear, honest communication throughout the process.