SHARIF - شري ف (Feb 16 – 17, 2027) workshop reading

SHARIF - شري ف

By Tomer Aldubi

Presented by Dirty Laundry Theatre Company

February 16 – 17, 2027

workshop reading

Produced by Voices Festival Productions

Ari Roth, Founding Artistic Producing Partner  
A. Lorraine Robinson, Artistic Producing  Partner
Full Cast/Crew Details

SHARIF - شري ف

Sharif شريف is a moving drama about the precarious lives of LGBTQ+ Palestinians, written by Tomer Aldubi.
Sharif was forced to flee the West Bank as a teen, after his sexual identity has been publicly
exposed and his life put in danger. Since then, he’s been trying to survive in Israel, a foreign
land, completely alone. Barely speaking the language, and guided by the memory of his secret
lover Nour, whom he left behind, he tries to secure a stay permit on the grounds of welfare.
The play oscillates between scenes from Sharif’s past and present – from interrogations by
the IDF regarding his application for a permit that drag on for months; through the family
crisis following his forced disappearance; to life-threatening encounters with the Palestinian
Police. Some people he meets along the way lend him a generous hand, while others try to
exploit his delicate situation. All Sharif dreams of is reuniting with his love. Nour’s fate is
unknown to Sharif, and yet he is holding onto a thin thread. Will they ever meet again?
Sharif شريف is an emotional account of the challenging life of the queer Arab community
amidst constant threat, neglect, and sometimes hope, which is rarely, if ever, presented on
stage. The play represents the real life struggles that LGBTQ+ Palestinians face, and it was
written based on thorough research and testimonials that were collected by its playwright.
Sharif شريف has been produced in Israel as an independent production, and is the writing and
directing debut of Tomer Aldubi. It premiered at Haifa Theatre, and is the first play to publicly
address the situation of LGBTQ+ Palestinians and Israel’s responsibility towards them on a
large mainstream stage. The play is currently touring Israel including at The Jaffa Theatre, an
exceptional meeting point of Arab and Hebrew cultures and languages.