Bashar Murkus, born 1992 in Kufer Yasif in the north of occupied Palestine, is a Palestinian theatre director and writer based in Haifa. He began his theatrical career after receiving his BA from the University of Haifa Theatre department in 2011. Murkus is a founding member of Khashabi Ensemble and, since 2015, he is the artistic director of The Khashabi Theatre, an Independent Palestinian theatre based in Haifa. His works have been staged in theatres in Brussels, Genk, Gent, Antwerp, Bern, Dublin, Marseilles, Paris, Avignon, Tunis, Berlin, Hanover and New York...
Since 2011, Murkus has directed nearly 20 theatre productions, expressing his deep artistic, political, social and humanistic visions and providing an intense theatrical glimpse into contemporary Palestinian culture. These productions are an outcome of profound and extensive collaborative research projects, engaging actors, scholars, designers and musicians who explore complex social, political and philosophical themes. Murkus’ performative language is highly sensual, based not only on written drama, but on sound, staggering visual images, provocative intertextual allusions to canonical drama and corporal gestures and movements. This is post-dramatic theatre at its best. Murkus creates immersive, empathic fictional worlds, built and broken into fragments, by engaging the viewers' universal human vulnerability.
In 2014, Murkus staged “The Parallel Time” at Al-Midan Theatre in Haifa, dramatizing the highly controversial issue of Palestinian political prisoners imprisoned in Israeli jails. This production caused a turmoil amongst the Israeli right wing, culminating in a dramatic budget cut-down of Al-Midan Theatre. This signifies a pivotal point in the history of contemporary Palestinian theater and its impact on current cultural politics. The Haifa Municipality joined the decision of the Ministry of Culture and cut off funding to the theatre entirely, resulting in the theater’s complete paralysis. “The Parallel Time” has encouraged Palestinian artists to cultural independence, taking responsibility for their production to ensure their cultures’ freedom and independence, overcoming censorship and suppression by Israeli policies that attempt to influence or prevent their work from being staged. Murkus’ and Khashabi theatre are unblemished representatives of independent Palestinian theatre.
CONTACT
WORKS
YES DADDY | 2024
Written and directed by Bashar Murkus
Production of Khulood Basel - Khashabi Theatre
Y
MILK | 2022
A visual performance By Bashar Murkus and Khashabi Ensemble
Produced by Khashabi Theatre - Khulood Basel 2022
co-producers:
Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre des 13 vents Centre dramatique national de Montpellier, Théâtre de Liège, Romaeuropa Festival, Palestinian National Theatre El Hakawati (Jerusalem), Culture Resource,Théâtre Jean-Vilar (Vitry-sur-Seine), Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre (Brussels), Compagnie Théâtre Alibi - Fabrique de Théâtre (Bastia)
2019 | The Museum
by Bashar Murkus
Produced by Khashabi Theater
:Co-Production with
Schlachthaus Theatre - Bern, Switzerland
Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre - Brussels
Belgium Arts Centre Vooruit - Gent, Belgium
By Bashar Murkus
Produced by Maxim Gorki Theatre - STUDIO R, Berlin
Modern Curses | 2018
Dance Theatre by Bashar Murkus and Samaa Wakim in cooperation with Fadi Zmorrod.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
The Cabaret | 2018
By Bashar Murkus and the project team.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
By Bashar Murkus and the project team.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
By Bashar Murkus and the project team.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
As the Sun Fell | 2017
By Motaz Abu Saleh.
Produced by AL-Hara Theater. Ramallah
The Year of Snow | 2016
By Bashar Murkus.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
Sit Bil-Oufeh | 2015
By Bashar Murkus and the project team.
Produced by Khashabi Theater.
The Parallel Time | 2014
By Bashar Murkus
Produced by Al-Midan Theater. Haifa
By Motaz Abu Saleh.
Produced by Oyoun Theater and Khashabi Ensemble.
won the prize for Best Production in the Masrahid Festival in Akko in 2013.
Bye Bye Gillo | 2013
By Taha Adnan.
The play was produced Al Harah Theater as part of the of the project
"Contemporary Arab Dramaturgy" with cooperation with La Friche Theater
in France, Shams Theater in Lebanon and El Teatro Theater in Tunisia.
The Short Filmed Plays Project | 2012
Directed a number of short plays by Samuel Beckett , Harold Pinter,
Eugene Ionesco, Emil Habibi and Henry Andrews.
Whips | 2011
Adaptation of “Family Voices” by Harold Pinter.
Produced by Allaz Theater and Khashabi Ensemble.
The Belli Belli Bel | 2011
By Bashar Murkus and the project team.
Produced by Al-Midan Theater and Khashabi Ensemble.